🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products During a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods. What the Decision Signifies If this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names across European Union markets. However, before the ban to take effect, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 member states, which is uncertain. The Debate Surrounding the Measure Supporters contend that customers need transparent labeling and that meat terms must only describe products derived from livestock. "An escalope and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," said France's lawmaker the proposal's author. Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision pointless regulation. "Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Legal Context The isn't the first effort to control these terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar prohibition in four years ago. France previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under EU law in 2024. Business and Public Response Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing established terms would mislead consumers. Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that the majority of shoppers understand these names as long as items are clearly identified as vegetarian. "Almost 70% of consumers recognize the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC. What Comes Following the Vote This proposal next faces review by European governments, where it must obtain broad approval to be enacted. Considering the mixed opinions among various politicians and the public, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.