European Parliament Backs Call To Ban Meaty Terms On Plant-based Products

European Parliament building successful Brussels, 16 July 2025. Credit: Martin Bertrand / Hans Lucas via AFP / Getty Images

The European Parliament has approved a negotiating position to restrict nan usage of position specified arsenic “steak” and “sausage” to products containing meat.

In a connection yesterday (8 October), nan parliament said MEPs voted 532–78, pinch 25 abstentions, to adopt their stance for upcoming talks pinch nan European Council and European Commission. The talks are scheduled to statesman adjacent Tuesday.

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The instruction includes a caller meaning of nutrient arsenic “edible parts of animals” and states names including steak, escalope, sausage and burger should beryllium reserved exclusively for nutrient products and exclude cell-cultured items.

Hamburger, ovum yolk and ovum achromatic are besides successful nan list.

“The amendments to nan existent communal agriculture argumentation laws purpose to fortify nan contractual position of farmers and frankincense stabilise their income,” nan European Parliament’s connection read.

Whether non-meat analogues tin beryllium marketed utilizing position traditionally associated pinch nutrient has been a taxable of statement successful nan EU successful caller years.

Five years ago, MEPs debated akin measures but voted against a ban.

In January, France’s highest administrative tribunal annulled 2 authorities decrees seeking to prohibition nan usage of animal descriptors for plant-based proteins.

Three months earlier, past twelvemonth nan ECJ “ruled that nan bans were not compatible pinch EU law”.

This week’s ballot drew disapproval from immoderate lawmakers. Anna Strolenberg, an MEP connected for Volt Nederland and portion of nan European Greens grouping, said: “We could person spent this clip debating nan truth that our satellite is connected fire. The truth that we person a sadistic warfare connected our borders and that our societies are getting angrier and much divided. When Europeans look astatine their leaders, what do they see? They spot america discussing burgers.”

NGO ProVeg International described nan ballot arsenic “disappointing”.

Jasmijn de Boo, nan CEO of ProVeg International, said: “Plant-based foods are, and ever will be, an basal portion of EU agriculture, its system and its growth. So today’s ballot by nan European Parliament to restrict nan labelling of plant-based foods is disappointing. 

“Aside from nan truth that consumers are not confused by ‘meaty’ labelling of plant-based foods, we must besides retrieve that nan EU already has robust authorities successful spot to protect consumers from misleading labels.”