EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods

During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.

The Vote Signifies

If the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU countries.

However, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.

Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal

Supporters argue that customers require clear information and while meat terms must exclusively describe products from livestock.

"An escalope and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.

Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary restriction.

"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.

Previous Attempts and Legal Context

The isn't the first attempt to regulate such names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in 2020.

France previously introduced a national ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under EU law in 2024.

Business and Consumer Response

Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing familiar names would confuse consumers.

Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most consumers understand product labels as long as products are properly identified as vegetarian.

"Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.

What Next

The proposal next requires consideration by European governments, where it must obtain broad approval to become law.

Considering the mixed opinions within both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.