🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products During a significant decision this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products. The Vote Signifies If the measure becomes law, common plant-based items like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names across EU markets. However, before the ban to take effect, it must receive support from most of the EU's 27 countries, which is far from certain. The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal Proponents argue that consumers require clear information and that traditional names should only refer to items from livestock. "An escalope or a sausage are goods from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor plant products," said France's MEP Céline Imart. Critics, including Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary regulation. "Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Judicial Background The isn't the first attempt to control these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in 2020. The French government previously enacted a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in 2024. Industry and Public Response Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers. Advocacy organizations cite research showing that most shoppers comprehend product labels when items are clearly marked as vegan. "Nearly 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC. What Comes Following the Vote This proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, and it must secure broad support to be enacted. Given the mixed views among both lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still unclear.