Over a dozen food companies, including Linda McCarney Foods, Quorn, and THIS, have joined forces to urge the European Commission not to ban words like "sausage" and "burger" for non-meat products. They sent a joint letter asking officials to “let common sense prevail,” ahead of a key debate on the proposal. If the ban passes, bean burgers in Europe might have to be called “patties” or “discs,” and the famous Welsh Glamorgan sausages, which contain cheese and leeks, could be renamed Glamorgan “tubes.” The letter, organized by the Vegetarian Society, was sent to the European Commission, European Parliament, and Council of the European Union. This plea follows a similar call from musician Paul McCarney and eight MPs. Paul said vegetarian sausage labels “should be enough for sensible people to understand what they are eating.” German-headquartered supermarkets Aldi and Lidl, important players in Europe’s plant-based market, also oppose the ban. Paul Garner of Suma Wholefoods, a pioneer in plant-based foods since 1977, said, “Consumers are smart! They don’t need labels policing words like ‘burger’ or ‘sausage’ to know what they’re buying. Clear ingredient lists and a bit of common sense are enough.” He added the ban would make shopping and producing food harder without helping anyone. David Flochel, CEO of Quorn Foods, called it “regrettable” that energy is spent on this issue "that consumers settled long ago." He noted, “In 40 years, not once has a customer told us they bought a Quorn product believing it to be meat.” He warned the new restrictions could cause confusion and extra costs for businesses and consumers. Jenny Canham from the Vegetarian Society said banning familiar veggie terms is “completely unnecessary.” She urged EU decision-makers to avoid “unnecessary language barriers” and focus on clear labeling. The ban proposal, first introduced by French MEP Céline Imart, passed a vote in the EU Parliament last October with 355 votes for and 247 against. Seen as a win for the meat industry, the ban now needs approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states in a vote scheduled for March 5.