EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods

In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.

What the Vote Means

Should the measure becomes law, common plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names across European Union countries.

However, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain approval from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.

The Debate Behind the Proposal

Proponents argue that customers require transparent information and while meat terms should only describe items from animals.

"An escalope or a sausage are products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor plant products," stated French MEP the proposal's author.

Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision pointless restriction.

"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.

Past Efforts and Judicial Background

This isn't the first effort to control such names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in 2020.

The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.

Industry and Public Reaction

Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering established terms would mislead shoppers.

Advocacy organizations cite research showing that most shoppers comprehend product labels as long as items are clearly marked as vegetarian.

"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.

What Following the Vote

The legislative measure next faces consideration by European governments, where it must obtain majority approval to become law.

Given the divided views among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative is still unclear.