European Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it needs to receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Supporters contend that customers require transparent information and that meat terms must exclusively describe items from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," stated French MEP CĂ©line Imart.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, called the decision political tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, only rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
This marks another effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier introduced a national ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that changing established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups cite research showing that most shoppers comprehend product labels when products are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology provided items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal now faces review by EU member states, where it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views within both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
