European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Means
Should this proposal becomes law, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it must receive support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and while meat terms must only describe products derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not laboratory art nor plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the move political maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first attempt to control such terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
France previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that the majority of shoppers understand these names as long as items are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure now requires review by European governments, where it needs to secure majority support to be enacted.
Considering the divided views among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.
