Overview

• MEPs approved a proposal to reserve terms such as “Veggie-Wurst,” “Steak,” “Burger” and “Schnitzel” for animal products, sending the file into negotiations with member states under Denmark’s Council presidency, with a first round set for October 14.
• Backers, including the meat industry association Verband der Fleischwirtschaft, argue protected naming ensures clear distinction of animal foods, and the lead MEP cited a risk of confusion given different nutrient profiles.
• Major retailers and producers—Aldi Süd, Lidl, Burger King, Beyond Meat, Rewe, Aldi Nord and trade groups—oppose the move in a joint letter, saying familiar names guide purchases in Germany, Europe’s largest plant-based market, and warning of sales losses.
• Rügenwalder Mühle estimates rebranding and related changes would cost a mid–single-digit million euro sum in the short term, while consumer advocates Foodwatch and the Verbraucherzentrale argue shoppers are not misled and call the push industry-driven.
• The German federal government has not stated a position; Culture State Minister Wolfram Weimer rejects the ban on liberal grounds, and a YouGov poll reports 50% of Germans favor reserving meat terms while 67% deem the issue unimportant.