🔗 Share this article European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods In a major decision this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods. The Decision Signifies If the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout EU countries. However, before the ban to be enforced, it must receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, which is uncertain. The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal Proponents contend that customers require transparent labeling and that traditional names must only refer to products derived from animals. "An escalope and sausages are products from animal farming: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French MEP Céline Imart. Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the decision unnecessary restriction. "Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Previous Attempts and Judicial Background This marks another effort to control these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020. France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in this year. Business and Public Reaction Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering familiar terms would confuse consumers. Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most shoppers understand these names when items are clearly identified as vegan. "Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names provided products are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC. What Following the Vote The proposal next requires consideration by European governments, where it must secure broad support to be enacted. Considering the mixed views among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.