Europe has decided to ban the use of terms such as “steak,” “fillet,” “sausage,” and “burger” for products that do not contain meat, with 532 votes in favor, 78 against, and 25 abstentions.

The European Parliament approved the new regulation, which aims to “strengthen farmers’ position in the food supply chain” and clarify labeling for consumers, a decision that sparked strong reactions from the plant-based and vegan food industry.

The decision stipulates that names traditionally used to describe animal-derived products may only be used for foods that actually contain meat. In the official documents, “meat” is now defined as “edible parts of animals,” explicitly excluding both plant-based and cell-cultured products. Following the vote, a new round of consultations among European Union member states will shape the final legislation.

This is not the first time the EU has restricted product names: since 2020, only animal-based products have been allowed to use terms like “milk” or “cheese,” excluding labels such as “soy milk” or “tofu cheese.” At the time, however, a similar restriction for terms like “veggie steak” or “plant-based burger” was rejected—something that is now changing dramatically.

Reactions from the plant-based sector were swift. Many companies argue that labels such as “plant-based burger” are not misleading, as the word “plant-based” makes the product’s nature clear. They believe the change will create confusion and place an additional burden on a rapidly growing industry that supports Europe’s sustainability goals.

With this decision, EU lawmakers are seeking to clarify the legal framework around food naming and safeguard Europe’s culinary identity. However, it remains to be seen whether national governments will ratify the ban and whether “plant-based steaks” will indeed be forced to rebrand, potentially triggering a new round of conflict between the meat industry and the fast-growing vegan food market.