🔗 Share this article European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products During a major decision this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods. The Vote Signifies Should this proposal becomes law, common vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names throughout EU markets. However, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain. The Debate Behind the Measure Proponents contend that consumers require transparent information and while traditional names must only describe products from livestock. "An escalope or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said France's MEP the proposal's author. Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision political maneuvering. "Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Judicial Background This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago. France earlier introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts determined it invalid under EU law in this year. Industry and Public Reaction Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering established terms would confuse shoppers. Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of consumers comprehend these names when products are clearly identified as vegan. "Almost seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology provided items are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC. What Following the Vote The proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, and it must obtain majority approval to become law. Considering the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative remains unclear.