EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a major decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
Should this proposal becomes law, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to change their names across EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it must receive approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers need clear information and that meat terms must exclusively describe products from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to regulate such names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
France previously introduced a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that most consumers understand these names when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next faces review by European governments, where it must obtain majority support to become law.
Given the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.
