“Plant-based burgers”: in need of clearer and more transparent labelling
Europe is once again debating meat, or rather, how the word “meat” can be used. Last week, the European Parliament voted to ban the use of terms such as “burger,” “steak,” or “sausage” on the labels of plant-based or lab-grown products. In other words, the terms plant-based “burgers” or “sausages” would no longer be permitted, and this is to ensure clearer, more transparent labelling. The decision reignites the debate between those who are against misleading and deceptive names and those fearing it could hinder innovation in the alternative protein sector.
Clarity for consumers: “A steak is a steak”
Leading the initiative was French MEP Céline Imart (EPP), who emphasised that certain names should remain associated with products from farms. “A steak, an escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock, not laboratory art nor plant products. There is a need for transparency and clarity for the consumer and recognition for the work of our farmers”, Imart is reported to have said on the eve of the vote.
Her amendment, approved with 355 votes in favour, 247 against, and 30 abstentions, is part of the broader reform of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation, which aims to strengthen farmers’ bargaining power and ensure greater transparency throughout the supply chain. The proposal would limit the use of seven terms traditionally associated with meat —steak, escalope, sausage, hamburger, and burger —as well as egg yolk and egg white, in line with EU rules that already prohibit the use of terms like “milk” and “yoghurt” for non-dairy products.
Not everyone, however, agrees with this strict approach. Irish MEP Barry Cowen (Renew Europe) had attempted to propose a softer alternative, limiting the ban to names explicitly linked to animals, such as “beef” or “chicken,” while leaving “format” terms like “steak” free to use. “Clarity for consumers is needed, but also balance for companies”, Cowen explained, warning that a total ban could have “unintended consequences”, such as preventing the use of the term “tuna steak.” The proposal, however, did not gather enough support in the chamber.
Meat-sounding term: the situation in Europe
The fight against “meat-sounding” terms is a long-standing battle, which in 2020 already saw the European Parliament reject a ban on using meat-related names for plant-based products. Regarding the situation in Europe, the French livestock sector strongly supports the proposals, and as early as 2022, France, like South Africa, introduced a ban on using words such as “steak” and “sausage” for plant-based foods. However, in 2024, the European Court of Justice ruled that the measure was illegal under EU law. The original French decree had prohibited the use of 21 terms used by butchers, including “ham”, “fillet”, and “ribeye”. Jean-François Guihard, president of Interbev, the French association for livestock and meat, argued that without clear safeguards consumers risk being misled by products presented as meat when they are not.
Italy also expressed strong approval, as two years ago it had already introduced a rule against meat-sounding terms through an amendment, effectively anticipating the changes to the CMO approved in Strasbourg. Italian legislation had already established that terms such as “steak”, “sausage”, or “hamburger” could be reserved exclusively for animal-based products to avoid consumer confusion and protect the value of national livestock production. However, the concrete implementation of the rule is still ongoing: a decree is still to clarify which names will actually be banned. At the same time, at the European level, discussions continue in the attempt to harmonise rules across member states.
A battle that doesn’t end here
The Parliament’s position now paves the way for negotiations with the European Commission and the Council, which will have to reach a compromise before the rule becomes law. And it won’t be an easy path: the European Commission had proposed banning only terms such as “bacon” and the names of animals or anatomical parts, but not generic words like “steak” or “hamburger”. Meanwhile, several agriculture ministers from member states continue to call for stricter rules on so-called “plant-based meat”, highlighting the risk of consumer confusion and unfair competition against livestock farmers.
With this vote, the Parliament has chosen a stricter approach, but the game is far from over. The Commission and the Council will now have to decide how far to go. What is certain is that the debate over “meat without meat” is far from over, and there will still be a fight to protect livestock heritage and consumers from misleading labels that can deceive them into thinking these imitations are equivalent substitutes for meat and animal products.