EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a significant decision this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Decision Signifies
Should this proposal becomes law, popular vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to be renamed throughout EU countries.
However, for the ban to take effect, it must gain support from most of the 27 EU member states, which remains uncertain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that customers require clear labeling and while meat terms must only refer to items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are products from animal farming: not laboratory art nor plant products," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
The isn't the first effort to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing established terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most shoppers understand these names as long as products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, and it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
