European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Signifies
If the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it needs to gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that customers require transparent labeling and that traditional names should exclusively refer to products from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
The marks another attempt to regulate these terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing established terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of consumers understand these names when products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand these names as long as products are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next faces consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
