European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Means
Should this proposal becomes law, common vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout European Union markets.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that customers need transparent labeling and that meat terms should exclusively refer to items derived from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
This isn't the first attempt to control such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize these names as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure next requires review by European governments, where it needs to obtain majority approval to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions within various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
