đź”— Share this article EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods During a significant vote this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products. What the Decision Signifies If the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names across EU countries. Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that remains uncertain. The Arguments Behind the Proposal Supporters argue that consumers need clear information and that traditional names must only refer to products from animals. "A steak and sausages represent products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," said France's MEP CĂ©line Imart. Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move populist maneuvering. "Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Judicial Context The marks another attempt to regulate such names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020. France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in this year. Industry and Consumer Response Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse shoppers. Advocacy organizations point to surveys showing that most consumers understand product labels as long as items are clearly identified as vegan. "Nearly 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC. What Following the Vote The proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain broad support to become law. Given the mixed views within both lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.