🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods. What the Vote Signifies Should the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union markets. However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must receive approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain. The Arguments Behind the Proposal Supporters contend that consumers require transparent labeling and while traditional names should only refer to items derived from livestock. "An escalope or a sausage are products from animal farming: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said French lawmaker Céline Imart. Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision unnecessary restriction. "Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Previous Attempts and Judicial Context This marks another attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in 2020. The French government previously introduced a national ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024. Business and Public Reaction Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead shoppers. Advocacy organizations cite research showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels as long as items are clearly marked as vegan. "Almost 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC. What Following the Vote The proposal now faces review by EU member states, and it must obtain majority approval to become law. Considering the divided views among both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.