🔗 Share this article EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods. The Decision Means Should this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed across European Union countries. Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the EU's 27 member states, which remains far from certain. The Debate Behind the Measure Supporters contend that consumers need clear labeling and while meat terms must exclusively describe items from livestock. "A steak or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author. Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics. "Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Previous Attempts and Legal Context This isn't the first attempt to control such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in four years ago. The French government previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in this year. Industry and Public Reaction Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers. Consumer groups cite research indicating that most shoppers understand these names as long as items are clearly marked as vegan. "Almost seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC. What Following the Vote The legislative measure now faces consideration by EU member states, where it must secure broad support to be enacted. Considering the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.