European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products
In a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
Should this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout EU markets.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive approval from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which remains uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that customers need transparent information and that meat terms should exclusively refer to products derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are goods from our livestock: not laboratory art nor plant products," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate such names. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France earlier enacted a national ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most shoppers understand these names when products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand these names as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure now faces review by EU member states, where it must secure broad support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains unclear.
