EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed across EU markets.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which is uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require transparent labeling and while meat terms should exclusively refer to items derived from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from our livestock: not laboratory art nor plant products," said French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
This marks another effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Response
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing established names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that the majority of consumers understand product labels as long as products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names provided items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure next requires consideration by European governments, and it needs to obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions among both lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
