EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a major decision this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which is uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require transparent labeling and while traditional names must exclusively refer to items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said France's MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these names. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing established names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite research showing that most shoppers understand these names when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure now requires consideration by European governments, where it needs to obtain broad support to be enacted.
Considering the divided views among both politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
