EU approves meat-term rules for plant-based foods

European lawmakers on Wednesday approved an amendment that would reserve meat-related terms such as burger, steak, sausage and escalope for products made from animals, a move aimed at protecting livestock producers and changing how plant-based foods are marketed across the European Union. The vote in Strasbourg advances the proposal to a committee for clarification and sets the text up for further negotiations with EU member states and the European Commission before it can become law.

The amendment defines meat as the edible parts of animals and would bar the use of terms including hamburger, egg yolk, egg white, veggieburger and vegan sausage for plant-based products. Proponents framed the change as a measure to prevent consumer confusion and to strengthen farmers negotiating power within the food supply chain. Lawmakers supporting the restriction said the move is intended to ensure that product names correspond to their content and to protect the agricultural sector from competitive pressure as demand for alternative proteins has risen.

Céline Imart, the lawmaker who sponsored the amendment, said during parliamentary debate that allowing non-meat alternatives to use...