The European Parliament, on Wednesday, voted in favour of banning terms such as “veggie burger” and “soya schnitzel”.
According to the majority of EU lawmakers, terms such as “steak” and “sausage” should be reserved for products of animal origin.
EU member states still have to agree to the proposal.
The lawmaker responsible for the bill, Céline Imart, argued that using such labels for vegetarian and vegan products creates a risk of confusion.
According to her, plant-based substitute products do not offer the same nutritional values as their animal-based originals.
The proposal also aimed to help protect farmers.
Consumer protection advocates and companies in the food industry have sharply criticised the planned ban.
The organisation Foodwatch said no one accidentally buys tofu sausages believing they are beef.
While several companies in Germany, including Lidl and Burger King, also voiced their opposition to the proposal in a joint letter.
Germany is the largest market for plant-based alternative products in Europe.
In 2024, some 121,600 metric tonnes of meat substitutes were produced in the country, twice as much as in 2019.
(dpa/NAN)
