European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed across EU countries.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require transparent labeling and while traditional names should exclusively describe items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first effort to control such names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering established terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most consumers understand product labels when items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The legislative measure next requires review by European governments, and it needs to secure majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the divided views within both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.
