EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it must gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which is far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and that meat terms must only refer to items derived from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not laboratory art or plant products," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
The marks another attempt to control such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously enacted a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under EU law in this year.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that the majority of shoppers understand product labels when products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal now faces consideration by European governments, and it needs to obtain majority support to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions within various lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
