đź”— Share this article EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products During a major vote this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products. The Decision Means If the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names across EU countries. However, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that remains far from certain. The Arguments Surrounding the Measure Supporters argue that customers require clear labeling and that meat terms should exclusively describe items from livestock. "A steak or a sausage are products from animal farming: not laboratory art or vegetable sources," stated France's MEP the proposal's author. Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision populist maneuvering. "Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Past Attempts and Legal Background The marks another attempt to control such names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in 2020. The French government earlier introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under European legislation in this year. Industry and Public Response Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would confuse consumers. Consumer groups cite research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend these names when products are properly identified as vegetarian. "Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC. What Following the Vote This proposal next requires consideration by European governments, where it must secure broad approval to be enacted. Given the mixed opinions within various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.