🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products In a significant vote this week, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products. The Decision Signifies If this proposal is implemented, popular vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union countries. However, before the ban to take effect, it must receive approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that is uncertain. Key Arguments Behind the Proposal Supporters argue that customers require clear labeling and while traditional names must exclusively describe products from livestock. "An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," said French MEP the proposal's author. Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the decision populist maneuvering. "Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Judicial Background This isn't the first effort to regulate these names. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in 2020. France earlier introduced a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under EU law in this year. Business and Public Reaction Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers. Consumer groups point to research indicating that most consumers comprehend these names when items are clearly identified as vegetarian. "Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC. What Comes Following the Vote This legislative measure next requires consideration by EU member states, and it must secure majority approval to be enacted. Considering the divided opinions within various politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.