‘Hot dog populism’: EU votes to ban veggie meat terms
Politicians in the European Parliament have voted to ban vegetarian protein from being labeled with terms such as steak or meat.
MPs voted 532 to 78 to define meat as “edible parts of animals” and ensure words such as steak, schnitzel, sausage or burger are used for animal products rather than plant-based ones.
The proposal will go to a parliamentary committee for clarification before returning to the EU executive arm and then to the bloc’s 27 member states for negotiations.
Céline Imart, a conservative German MP and former farmer, said using meat-related terms for vegetarian products was misleading.
“Of course, we’re not talking about banning vegetables or plant-based alternatives at the moment. But I think those terms should speak for themselves and mean the same thing as they do,” he told a parliamentary debate on Tuesday.
Her colleague from the liberal NEOS party, Austrian MP Anna Stürgkh, said consumers were not easily fooled by food labels on non-meat products.
“There is no beef in the beef tomato… Women’s fingers are not made from real women’s fingers,” he said.
“Let’s trust consumers and stop this hot dog populism.”
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