🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products In a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products. The Vote Means Should this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union markets. Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the 27 EU member states, which is uncertain. Key Debate Behind the Proposal Proponents argue that consumers need clear labeling and while meat terms should exclusively refer to items from animals. "A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not laboratory art or plant products," stated France's MEP Céline Imart. Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless regulation. "Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Judicial Context This marks another effort to control these terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in four years ago. France previously introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under European legislation in this year. Industry and Consumer Response Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established terms would mislead consumers. Advocacy organizations point to research showing that most consumers understand product labels as long as items are clearly marked as vegan. "Almost 70% of consumers recognize these names as long as products are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC. What Comes Following the Vote This legislative measure now requires review by European governments, where it needs to obtain majority approval to be enacted. Considering the divided views among both lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.