EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Means
If this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which remains uncertain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers need transparent labeling and while meat terms must exclusively describe items derived from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from animal farming: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated French MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Background
The marks another effort to regulate such names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic 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
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established terms would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most consumers comprehend these names when items are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This proposal next faces review by European governments, and it needs to secure broad support to become law.
Given the mixed opinions among both politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
