🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products In a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods. The Decision Means If the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union countries. However, before the ban to take effect, it needs to receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which is uncertain. Key Debate Behind the Proposal Proponents contend that customers need clear information and while meat terms must only describe items derived from livestock. "A steak and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French MEP Céline Imart. Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the decision populist maneuvering. "Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Past Efforts and Judicial Background This marks another effort to regulate such names. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago. The French government previously enacted a national ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under EU law in this year. Business and Consumer Reaction Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established terms would confuse shoppers. Consumer groups cite surveys showing that most shoppers comprehend these names as long as products are properly identified as vegetarian. "Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC. What Comes Following the Vote This proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, and it must obtain broad support to be enacted. Considering the divided views among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.