EU Parliament Vote 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 including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.

The Decision Means

If this proposal becomes law, common plant-based items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout European Union markets.

However, before the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.

The Arguments Surrounding the Measure

Supporters argue that consumers need clear information and while meat terms should exclusively refer to items derived from livestock.

"An escalope and sausages are goods from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," stated French MEP Céline Imart.

Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless regulation.

"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.

Past Efforts and Judicial Context

This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.

France earlier introduced a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.

Industry and Consumer Response

Major German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would confuse consumers.

Consumer groups cite research indicating that most shoppers understand these names when products are properly marked as vegetarian.

"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.

What Following the Vote

The legislative measure next requires consideration by EU member states, and it needs to secure majority approval to become law.

Given the divided opinions among various politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal remains unclear.