Goodbye Veggie Burgers? EU’s Meat-Name Ban Sparks Food Fight
The European Parliament’s vote to ban meat-related names like “burger” and “steak” for plant-based products has ignited a fierce debate between farmers, green advocates, and food industry giants.
Is this the end of the “veggie burger”? The European Parliament has voted to stop plant-based foods from using traditional meat terms like “burger,” “steak,” or “escalope” — a move that’s stirring up quite the political and culinary storm across Europe.
The motion, backed by a majority of 355 to 247, aims to “call a spade a spade,” as French MEP Celine Imart put it. Supporters of the ban argue that labeling soy patties or lentil sausages with meaty names confuses shoppers and undermines Europe’s livestock industry. To them, a burger should only be a burger if it once grazed a field.
But the ban isn’t law yet. It still needs approval from the European Commission and all 27 EU member states — meaning there’s still time for a heated showdown before the final decision.
Not everyone is thrilled. Environmentalists, Green Party members, and major food retailers have slammed the move as outdated and anti-sustainability. Germany, home to Europe’s fastest-growing plant-based market, has seen supermarket chains like Aldi, Lidl, and even Burger King publicly push back, arguing that banning familiar terms will only confuse customers more.
“While the world is burning, we’re debating sausages,” fumed German Green MEP Anna Cavazzini, reflecting the frustration of many who see climate-friendly diets as part of Europe’s environmental solution, not a threat to tradition.
This isn’t the EU’s first food-labeling battle. Dairy producers already won their fight years ago — which is why “oat milk” is now “oat drink” on European shelves. If this meat-name ban passes, the “vegan steak” could soon suffer the same fate.
For now, the war over words continues. Whether you call it a burger, a patty, or just a “plant-based round,” one thing’s certain — Europe’s appetite for this debate is far from over.