The European Parliament has voted to ban the use of traditional meat terms such as “steak” and “burger” for describing plant-based alternatives. The 355–247 majority vote has been hailed as a victory for livestock farmers, who have long claimed that the use of such labels threatens their industry.
Members of the conservative EPP (European People’s Party) group supported the move, arguing that using meat and dairy terminology for vegan-friendly counterparts is “misleading for the consumer.”
French MEP Céline Imart, who led the initiative, said: “Let’s call a spade a spade.” The proposal also received vocal backing from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently declared: “A sausage is a sausage. Sausage is not vegan.”
France’s powerful meat industry associations have similarly welcomed the outcome, calling it a “necessary step to protect consumers and traditional producers.”
Business backlash
Not all voices in Europe are on board. According to a report by the Good Food Institute, several key players in Germany, one of Europe’s largest markets for plant-based foods, have come out against the proposed restrictions.
Among them are supermarket giants Aldi and Lidl, as well as Burger King and leading sausage producer Rügenwalder Mühle.
These companies co-signed an open letter criticising the proposals, arguing that banning familiar terms like “vegan burger” or “meat-free sausage” could actually confuse consumers rather than protect them.
The letter stated that such measures would make it “more difficult for shoppers to make informed decisions” and risk stifling innovation in the rapidly growing plant-based sector.
“A protectionist panic move”
Critics of the ban have been outspoken. Anna Cavazzini, a member of Germany’s Green Party, told local media: “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.”
Environmentalists have widely condemned the move as a step backwards for sustainability, arguing that it distracts from urgent climate and food system challenges.
The Vegan Society has strongly criticised the Parliament’s decision. Claire Ogley, Head of Campaigns, Policy and Research, said there is “no evidence to suggest that consumers are confused by commonly used food names.”
“It’s pretty clear what a vegan sausage is, and that a plant-based burger doesn’t come from a cow,” Ogley said. “Forcing food companies – including those that own both vegan and non-vegan brands – to change their labelling and packaging is going to be costly, and those costs will inevitably be passed on to consumers.”
Ogley described the move as “a protectionist panic by powerful meat and dairy lobbies” seeking to slow down the shift toward “compassionate, healthy, and environmentally friendly lifestyles.”
She added, “Those meat and dairy lobbies are only concerned with their profits, not the welfare of people or the planet – and certainly not the animals they kill and use in order to make those profits. We should be encouraging more people to try plant-based alternatives, as the recent EAT-Lancet report recommended, not discouraging them by making a fuss about a problem that doesn’t exist.”
What happens next?
For the ban to take effect, it must still be approved by the European Commission (the EU’s executive branch) and the governments of all 27 member states. Similar proposals were made in 2020, but ultimately failed to pass.
Currently, EU food labelling laws already restrict the use of dairy terms such as milk, cheese, and yoghurt to products derived from animal milk, meaning alternatives must use labels like “oat drink” or “soya dessert.”
If the new restrictions are adopted, plant-based producers across Europe may have to rename hundreds of popular products, from vegan sausages to meat-free burgers, potentially impacting marketing, exports, and consumer recognition.
While Europe debates what to call a vegan sausage, we’re busy cooking up something much more fun. Treat yourself (no tricks!) with our vegan Halloween recipes
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