European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Products
In a major vote this week, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "burger" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian products like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to be renamed throughout European Union countries.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents contend that customers require transparent information and that traditional names should only refer to items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," said French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the move political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Background
The marks another attempt to control such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research showing that most shoppers comprehend product labels when products are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority support to become law.
Considering the divided views among both lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.
