đź”— Share this article European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods During a significant vote this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods. What the Vote Means If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout European Union countries. However, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which remains far from certain. The Debate Behind the Measure Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and that meat terms must exclusively describe products from livestock. "A steak and sausages are goods from our livestock: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French MEP the proposal's author. Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the move unnecessary regulation. "Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Judicial Background The isn't the first effort to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in 2020. France earlier enacted a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024. Industry and Consumer Response Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers. Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most shoppers comprehend product labels when items are clearly marked as vegan. "Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC. What Following the Vote This proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority support to be enacted. Given the divided opinions among both politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.