"Tofu sausage" soon to be banned? Why the EU is dancing on the wrong grill right now

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Sausage remains sausage - but only with meat?

Once again, the EU wants to ensure order - this time on the plate. More precisely, on the labels. The European Parliament has decided by a narrow majority that manufacturers will no longer be allowed to use terms such as "veggie burger", "soy schnitzel" or "tofu sausage" in future. Consumers might think they are getting real meat.

French MEP Céline Imart, who tabled the motion, speaks of a "real risk of confusion". And of protecting farmers. Products without meat should not be allowed to pretend to be meat. "A sausage is a sausage. Sausage is not vegan," Friedrich Merz also recently declared.

But let's be honest: anyone who buys a "veggie sausage" certainly doesn't expect beef. But a plant-based alternative - no more and no less.

Everything is still open - but the debate is hotting up

The issue is not quite over yet. Before such a ban becomes a reality, the 27 EU states must also agree. And that is anything but certain. In Germany - after all, Europe's largest market for meat substitutes - the idea has been met with clear criticism. Not only from politicians, but also from consumer advocates and companies.

Even CDU MPs such as Peter Liese wave it off: "At a time when we really have other problems, that's nonsense." The SPD and Greens also see no need. SPD MEP Maria Noichl puts it in a nutshell: "No farmer will end up with more money in their pocket as a result."

What is often forgotten in this discussion: In 2024 alone, around 121,600 tons of meat substitutes were produced in Germany - and the trend is rising sharply. The market has long been there. And with it a language that most people have long understood.

Consumers: not confused, but annoyed

Consumer advocates agree: a ban is unnecessary. "Nobody accidentally buys tofu sausages because they think they are beef sausages," says the Foodwatch organization. Large retail chains such as Aldi, Lidl and even Burger King are also against the ban. Their message: these terms help people find their way around - they make shopping easier, not more complicated.

And let's be honest: who would voluntarily reach for a pack that only says "plant-based pellets"?

More "clarity" is of no use here

This debate shows how absurd politics can sometimes be. There is actually a serious discussion in Brussels about whether a "veggie sausage" sounds too much like sausage - while real problems such as rising prices, the climate crisis or the situation of farmers remain unsolved.

If the EU thinks it can improve consumer protection by banning names, it has lost sight of the essentials. Because in the end, this is not about transparency, but about symbolic politics - and perhaps a few votes from the meat lobby.

Genuine freedom of choice does not come from new regulations, but from trust in the intelligence of consumers. And they have long known that there is no pig behind "tofu sausage" - but a piece of the future on their plate.