European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
The Decision Means
If the measure is implemented, common plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names throughout EU countries.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it must gain support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that remains far from certain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that customers require transparent information and that meat terms should only refer to products from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker CĂ©line Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the move pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize these names as long as products are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure now requires consideration by EU member states, and it must secure majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions among various politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
