EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
In a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, common plant-based products like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that customers require clear information and that meat terms should only refer to products from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the move political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these names. The European parliament rejected a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing familiar terms would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most shoppers comprehend these names as long as products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize these names as long as products are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal next requires consideration by European governments, where it needs to secure majority approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed views within various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
