🔗 Share this article European Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods During a significant vote this week, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products. The Vote Means If the measure becomes law, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU markets. However, before the ban to take effect, it needs to gain approval from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain. The Debate Behind the Measure Proponents argue that consumers require clear information and while traditional names should exclusively describe products from animals. "An escalope or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," said French lawmaker Céline Imart. Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision unnecessary restriction. "Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Past Attempts and Judicial Background The isn't the first attempt to control these names. The European parliament voted down a similar ban in 2020. France previously introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024. Industry and Public Reaction Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing established terms would mislead consumers. Consumer groups cite research showing that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when items are properly identified as vegetarian. "Nearly 70% of consumers understand the terminology provided products are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC. What Comes Next This legislative measure next requires consideration by European governments, where it needs to obtain majority support to become law. Considering the divided views within both politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.