The European Parliament (EP) has voted in favor of a measure that would prohibit the use of terms like “burger” or “steak” to describe plant-based alternatives.
The proposal passed with a vote of 355 to 247, marking a victory for livestock farmers who argue that such labeling practices pose a threat to their industry and livelihoods.
However, a complete ban is not yet guaranteed, as the proposal requires the endorsement of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, as well as the approval of the governments of the 27 member states to become law.
The plant-based food sector has experienced substantial growth in recent years, driven by an increasing number of consumers adopting meat-free diets.
“Let’s call a spade a spade,” stated Celine Imart, the French Member of Parliament who spearheaded the initiative, as quoted by AFP, in reference to plant-based products.
The member of the conservative EPP group in the EP asserted that marketing plant-based items with meat-related labels “is misleading for the consumer.”
The proposal also seeks to restrict the use of other terms, such as “egg yolk,” “egg white,” and “escalope,” to products containing meat.
The EU has previously defined dairy items as products derived from “normal mammary secretion,” encompassing items like milk, yogurt, and cheese.
For instance, oat milk is marketed as an oat drink in European markets.
Greens and liberal lawmakers have voiced criticism of the approved EP text, deeming it “useless.”
“While the world is burning, the EPP has nothing better to do this week than to involve us all in a debate about sausages and schnitzel,” commented Anna Cavazzini of Germany’s Green Party, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
Environmental advocates have warned that the ban could impede progress on sustainability efforts.
The proposal has also faced opposition from key stakeholders in the German food industry, which represents the largest market for plant-based products within the EU, according to a report by the Good Food Institute of Europe.
Leading German supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl, fast-food chain Burger King, and sausage producer Rügenwalder Mühle have jointly issued an open letter expressing their opposition to the proposal.
They argue that prohibiting “familiar terms” would “make it more difficult for consumers to make informed decisions.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose party is a key member of the EPP, has expressed his full support for the ban. “A sausage is a sausage. Sausage is not vegan,” he recently stated.
The French meat industry has also voiced strong support for the measure.
A similar proposal was considered in 2020 but ultimately did not pass.
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