European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to change their names across European Union markets.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers require transparent information and while traditional names should exclusively describe products from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
The isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing established terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to research indicating that most consumers comprehend product labels when items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers understand these names provided items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal now faces consideration by EU member states, and it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still unclear.
