EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Products
During a major decision this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Means
If the measure becomes law, common vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, something that remains far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers need transparent information and while traditional names should exclusively describe products from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," stated France's MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the move populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first effort to control such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing established names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most shoppers understand product labels as long as products are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names provided items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure now requires review by EU member states, where it must secure majority approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions among various politicians and the public, the future of this initiative remains unclear.
