🔗 Share this article European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products During a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods. The Vote Signifies Should this proposal becomes law, common vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names across European Union countries. However, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive approval from most of the 27 EU member states, which is far from certain. The Arguments Behind the Measure Supporters argue that customers need clear labeling and while meat terms should exclusively refer to products from livestock. "An escalope or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French lawmaker the proposal's author. Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision political tactics. "Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Past Attempts and Judicial Context This marks another effort to regulate such names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020. France earlier introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024. Industry and Public Response Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead shoppers. Advocacy organizations point to surveys showing that the majority of consumers comprehend these names as long as products are properly identified as vegan. "Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC. What Following the Vote This legislative measure now faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority approval to become law. Given the mixed opinions within various politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.