European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Products
In a major decision this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, common vegetarian products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it must receive approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which is far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Proposal
Proponents argue that customers require clear information and that traditional names should exclusively describe products from animals.
"A steak and sausages are goods from our livestock: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," said France's MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
The marks another effort to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
France previously introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that altering familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to research indicating that most consumers comprehend product labels when items are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure now requires review by European governments, and it must secure broad approval to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions within both lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
