EU parliament backs ban on meat terms for plant-based products
EU lawmakers have voted to reserve terms such as “burger”, “hamburger”, “sausage”, “steak”, “escalope”, “egg yolk” and “egg white” for products containing meat.
The vote, part of a review of the Common Market Organisation regulation aimed at strengthening farmers’ bargaining power, passed by 355 votes to 247 with 30 abstentions.
The European Parliament’s position will now feed into negotiations with the Commission and member states. While the Parliament supports a full ban on these terms for plant-based foods, the Commission has so far proposed restrictions only on names directly linked to animals, such as “bacon”.
Supporters, including French MEP Céline Imart, said the measure protects farmers and improves consumer clarity. Critics, including retailers and consumer groups, warned it could limit innovation in plant-based alternatives and called for trust in consumer understanding.
The regulation must still be approved by member states before it can take effect.
Photo by Niklas Rhöse on Unsplash
