🔗 Share this article European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products In a significant vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products. The Vote Means If the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names throughout European Union markets. Nevertheless, for the ban to take effect, it must gain support from most of the EU's 27 countries, which is uncertain. The Arguments Surrounding the Measure Proponents argue that customers need clear labeling and that meat terms should only refer to products from animals. "An escalope or a sausage are products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said French MEP the proposal's author. Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the decision populist maneuvering. "Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Past Efforts and Legal Background This isn't the first effort to regulate such names. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in 2020. France previously introduced a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024. Industry and Consumer Response Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established names would mislead shoppers. Advocacy organizations point to surveys showing that the majority of shoppers understand product labels as long as items are properly identified as vegan. "Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided products are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC. What Next The proposal now requires consideration by European governments, and it needs to obtain majority approval to be enacted. Given the divided views within various politicians and the general population, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.