European Parliament: Veggie products can no longer be called “meat”

A veggie burger or plant-based sausage will no longer be called that way, if the European Parliament has its way. On Wednesday, October 10, a majority of Members of European Parliament (MEPs) decided that words like “sausage,” “burger” and “steak” should only be used for real meat products.

In 2020, the Parliament voted on a similar proposal, but at the time it failed to gain sufficient support. As it happened, the Parliament did decide at the time to ban the names “soy milk” and “vegan cheese” for dairy products. Those terms may only be used for real dairy products.

Confusion amongst meat consumers

In 2025, the idea was revived by French MEP Céline Imart. She argued that the use of meat names for plant-based products can lead to confusion among consumers. Imart submitted the amendment, to reserve meat names for meat products, during the debate on European legislation aimed at improving the position of farmers in the market.

Advocates of the new proposal pointed to the benefits of clarity, that consumers know immediately whether their purchase is made of animal protein. Others, however, said that consumers are well aware of their choices, whereas other critics felt that the new regulation would contribute to more unclarity. The most active opponents called the new proposal “absurd.”

The race is not over yet. The European Commission and EU countries also need to approve Parliament’s plans. The EU countries themselves still have to determine their positions.