EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Products
In a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
What the Decision Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian products like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed throughout EU countries.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain approval from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters contend that customers need transparent information and while meat terms must exclusively describe items derived from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first attempt to control such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
France previously introduced a national ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing established names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that the majority of consumers understand these names as long as products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal now faces consideration by EU member states, and it needs to secure broad support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
