EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require transparent labeling and while traditional names should exclusively refer to items from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move political tactics.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first attempt to regulate these names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most consumers understand product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The legislative measure next faces review by European governments, where it needs to obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within various politicians and the public, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
