EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods

During a significant vote this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.

What the Vote Signifies

If this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed throughout EU countries.

However, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.

Key Debate Behind the Measure

Proponents contend that customers need transparent labeling and that meat terms must only describe items derived from animals.

"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated French MEP Céline Imart.

Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the decision unnecessary regulation.

"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.

Previous Attempts and Legal Context

This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in 2020.

The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.

Industry and Public Reaction

Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing established terms would confuse shoppers.

Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that most consumers understand these names as long as items are clearly marked as vegetarian.

"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.

What Comes Following the Vote

The legislative measure next faces review by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority support to become law.

Given the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.