🔗 Share this article EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods In a significant decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods. What the Decision Means If the measure becomes law, common plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed across EU countries. Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain support from most of the 27 EU member states, which is uncertain. Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure Proponents contend that consumers need transparent information and while traditional names should only describe items from animals. "A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated France's MEP Céline Imart. Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision unnecessary regulation. "Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz. Previous Efforts and Judicial Background This marks another attempt to regulate such names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in four years ago. The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in 2024. Business and Consumer Reaction Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established terms would confuse shoppers. Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that most shoppers understand these names when items are clearly marked as vegetarian. "Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC. What Next The legislative measure now faces consideration by European governments, where it needs to secure broad support to be enacted. Considering the mixed views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.