In the coming months, the labels of food products certified with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) will change. The novelty comes from Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 on Geographical Indications, published in 2024 and which came into force on 13 May of the same year, which introduces more stringent transparency obligations to strengthen consumer trust and enhance real producers.
Why and how etiquette changes
The new European regulatory text is part of an overall review of the Geographical Indications (GI) system for wines, agricultural products and spirits across the Union. Its main objective is to protect the value and reputation of quality products linked to the territory, protecting them from imitations and abuse and ensuring greater transparency for those who purchase and consume these foods.
One of the most important innovations concerns the labels of PDO and PGI products, on which it will no longer be enough to indicate the geographical name or certification, but the name of the person who actually produces that food or drink must also appear. This obligation also applies if the product is sold under private label (MDD), as often happens in supermarkets.
In practice, on the labels we will no longer only find the supermarket brand or the geographical certification, we will finally know who really made that cheese, that cured meat or that wine that we buy.
What it means for the consumer
For those who shop carefully, this innovation represents a concrete step towards food transparency. Until now, many certified products hid the identity of the real producer behind anonymous labels, making it impossible to recognize and reward the work of quality companies.
With the new obligation it will be possible to consciously choose which producer to support with our purchases, enhance small and medium-sized businesses in the area, better trace the supply chain and know the real origin of the food, perhaps rewarding those who work with artisanal methods that respect traditions. This is not just a bureaucratic detail, it is information that allows us to support (or not) some production realities.
In reality, some protection consortia had already taken this path. Prosciutto di Parma DOP, for example, has long had the producer’s name on the trays for sale. A choice that now becomes the rule for all DOP and IGP certified products in Europe.
When we find the new indication on the label
Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 23 April 2024 and entered into force on 13 May 2024. But as regards the obligation to indicate the name of the producer or operator on the labels of PDO and PGI products, a transitional period is foreseen until 14 May 2026.
This means that products already labeled before this date can be sold, while all new packages starting from May 14th will have to correctly display the name of the producer next to the PDO/PGI denomination.
