Overview

• MEPs voted 355–247 to reserve names such as "steak," "sausage" and "hamburger" for products that contain meat.
• Any rule change must be agreed with the 27 member states, making practical implementation unlikely before 2026.
• French center-right MEP Céline Imart authored the proposal, arguing plant-based labels trade on meat’s reputation and risk misleading consumers.
• Green lawmakers, vegetarian groups and major German retailers including Lidl and Aldi warn the ban would hinder sales of alternatives and reduce clarity for shoppers, particularly in Germany.
• France’s previous decrees restricting such terms were annulled in early 2025 following EU court guidance, prompting a push for an EU-wide rule.