FoodDrinkEurope has announced that it is opposing Italy’s mandatory origin-labelling scheme, which has recently been introduced for a number of food products.
The organisation, which represents Europe’s food- and drink-manufacturing sector, has filed an official complaint to the European Commission, stating that the Italian government adopted these measures without prior notification to the EU.
The new measures are set to come into effect in Italy early next year, obliging manufacturers to include the country of origin and production on the labels of pasta and rice, as well as tomato products.
Industry Concerns
FoodDrinkEurope says that its members are concerned with the current trend to renationalise certain rules and policies in the food and drink sector.
It claims that mandatory origin-labelling will negatively impact the trade of food products in the EU’s single market.
FoodDrinkEurope says that the single market needs to be preserved, as it has brought ‘significant benefits’ to both producers and consumers, ensuring a high-quality food supply chain, as well as spurring growth and increasing competition in the sector.
Italy’s pasta industry has already spoken out against the law, stating that it will lead to a drop in quality and national production.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
