A heated political debate is shaking Europe’s food industry. The European Parliament in Strasbourg has voted to ban the use of traditional meat terms like burger, schnitzel, and sausage for plant-based meat alternatives.
The proposed law, supported by a majority from right-wing and conservative factions, including parts of Germany’s CDU/CSU, passed on Wednesday and now moves to negotiations with the 27 EU member states.
If adopted, it would mean that plant-based products could no longer use terms long associated with meat — such as vegan sausage or vegetarian burger.
A divided German front
The vote exposed sharp divisions within Germany’s conservative bloc. While Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer (CSU) openly supported the renaming rule, many CDU and CSU MEPs in Brussels voted against it.
Rainer, himself a trained butcher, defended the measure: “For me, a schnitzel is made from turkey, veal, or pork — not from soy,” he told BILD. Merz echoed the sentiment on national TV: “A sausage is a sausage. It’s not vegan.”
But behind the scenes, many in the party disagreed — wary of alienating consumers and producers in Germany’s booming plant-based food industry, where companies like Aldi, Lidl, and Burger King have invested heavily.
France leads the push — “to protect consumers”
The amendment originated from the European People’s Party (EPP), the EU’s main conservative bloc, spearheaded by Céline Imart, a French farmer and MEP.
Imart argued that the measure aims to avoid confusion among consumers and ensure honest product labeling.
“Plant-based substitutes don’t offer the same nutritional values as their animal equivalents,” she said, adding that the rule was necessary for consumer protection and transparency.
Her proposal won over enough votes to pass — despite protests from major food producers and fast-food chains that warned of massive rebranding costs and potential market disruption.
Germany’s plant-based industry fears setbacks
Germany has emerged as Europe’s largest market for meat alternatives, with strong consumer demand and rapid innovation.
Industry representatives warn that renaming familiar products could hurt sales, confuse shoppers, and stifle competition.
One CDU MEP, Peter Liese, expressed disappointment over the vote:
“I hope this nonsense will fade away in the final negotiations. The Council of Ministers should reject such an absurd idea, especially when we have far more pressing issues to solve.”
“A decision that damages credibility”
Criticism also came from FDP MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen, who blasted the vote as “embarrassing and unnecessary.”
“We cannot explain to citizens why the European Parliament wastes time on such nonsense. This decision undermines the credibility of the entire institution,” he said.
Other German representatives, including Norbert Lins (CDU) and Stefan Köhler (CSU), promised to work during the upcoming trilogue negotiations with the EU Council and Commission to find a compromise that “reflects Germany’s position and market reality.”
What happens next
The proposal is not yet law. It will now be discussed in the EU trilogue process, where the European Commission, Parliament, and Council must agree on a final text.
Given the backlash, observers believe the controversial renaming clause could still be dropped or modified before adoption.
For now, the debate over what constitutes a “burger” or a “schnitzel” has reignited one of Europe’s most polarizing food culture battles — tradition versus innovation.
