EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products

In a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.

The Decision Signifies

If the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed across EU countries.

Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it must receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, something that remains uncertain.

Key Debate Surrounding the Measure

Proponents argue that customers need clear labeling and that traditional names must only describe items from livestock.

"A steak or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," said France's MEP the proposal's author.

Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the move populist maneuvering.

"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.

Past Attempts and Legal Background

The isn't the first effort to regulate such terminology. The European parliament voted down a similar ban in four years ago.

France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.

Business and Consumer Response

Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that changing established terms would confuse consumers.

Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that most consumers understand these names as long as products are clearly marked as vegan.

"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names provided items are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.

What Following the Vote

The legislative measure now faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority approval to become law.

Given the divided views among both politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.