🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods During a major vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products. What the Decision Signifies If the measure is implemented, popular plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed across European Union markets. Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive approval from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains far from certain. Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure Supporters contend that consumers need clear labeling and that traditional names must exclusively describe products from animals. "A steak and sausages are goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French MEP Céline Imart. Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the move populist maneuvering. "Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Previous Attempts and Legal Context The marks another attempt to control these names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in 2020. The French government earlier enacted a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in this year. Industry and Public Reaction Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing established names would mislead consumers. Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most shoppers comprehend product labels as long as items are properly marked as vegan. "Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology provided items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC. What Following the Vote The proposal next faces consideration by European governments, where it must secure majority approval to become law. Considering the divided opinions within both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still unclear.