Brussels, 8 October 2025
European Parliament votes to ban use of ‘veggie burger’ and ‘plant-based sausage’: coalition calls decision misguided and counterproductive
This Wednesday the Members of the European Parliament voted to ban the use of terms like “burger”, “steak” or “sausage” for plant-based foods. The proposal by a French member of the EPP group, Celine Imart, gathered 355 votes in favour, 247 against and 33 abstentions.
The No Confusion Coalition, led by WePlanet and the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) and representing more than 400 organisations, NGO and food companies across Europe, has reacted with disappointment to this European Parliament vote approving restrictions on common names such as burger, sausage, and plant-based chicken for plant-based foods.
“Banning words like burger or sausage for plant-based products is unnecessary and counterproductive,” said Rafael Pinto, Senior Policy Manager at the European Vegetarian Union. “It undermines consumer freedom and sustainability while pretending to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. It further goes against the European agenda for innovation and simplification, adding bureaucracy and complexity where it’s not needed.”
Rob De Schutter, head of comms at WePlanet, added: “This vote shows a worrying disconnect between policymakers and citizens. There is no confusion among consumers—only confusion in Brussels. Parliament should be fixing real problems in our food system, not inventing new ones. Exactly whose interest is the EU protecting here? It’s certainly not that of consumers.”
No confusion, but new barriers
The European Parliament, led by a conservative coalition on this (non-)issue, claims the measure would protect consumers, yet all available evidence—including research by BEUC, the European consumer organisation—shows the opposite. Europeans understand and appreciate terms like vegan sausage and plant-based burger because they clearly describe how to prepare and enjoy sustainable alternatives. In 2024, the European Court of Justice also ruled on the subject, stating current laws were sufficient to protect consumers.
The approved restrictions proposal today by Parliament would make it harder for citizens to choose sustainable options, impose costly rebranding on companies, and discourage innovation in a sector crucial to Europe’s climate and health goals.
Missing the point
The stated goal of this proposal was to help farmers. But, as the coalition highlights, removing familiar words from plant-based labels will not solve any real challenges farmers face—such as fair prices, local investment, and the dominance of large retailers.
“Once again, policymakers have missed the point,” said Pinto. “If we truly want to support farmers and strengthen Europe’s food system, we need smarter funding, better regulation, and real market fairness—not word censorship.”
Statement from EAPF
“Today’s vote is a setback for Europe’s food innovation and competitiveness. Restricting the use of familiar terms for plant-based foods creates unnecessary barriers for businesses and confusion for consumers. Europe risks falling behind other markets that are embracing innovation and consumer choice. We call on policymakers to work with industry to build a regulatory framework that supports growth, jobs and sustainability in the European food sector”, says Siska Pottie, Secretary General of the European Alliance for Plant-based Food.
The fight continues
While this outcome is disappointing, the proposal is still far from becoming law. The coalition will continue its efforts in the upcoming trilogue negotiations and calls on the Council and Commission to not agree to these unnecessary restrictions. It will now be up to the Governments of the Member-States and to the European Commission to negotiate the final text within the co-decision process and decide whether the Parliament’s position will become law. The negotiations on the file are set to start in the upcoming weeks and be finished by the end of the year.
“We’re not giving up,” said De Schutter. “Europe’s citizens and farmers want a food system that’s fair, sustainable and future-proof. We’ll keep working with partners across the EU to make sure common sense prevails and that sustainable plant-based meat alternatives are helped rather than harmed in
Europe.”
