{"id":30841,"date":"2026-05-11T13:16:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T13:16:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sib.it\/?p=30841"},"modified":"2026-05-11T14:38:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T14:38:49","slug":"english-new-italian-law-against-food-and-beverage-fraud-definitively-approved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sib.it\/en\/flash-news\/new-italian-law-against-food-and-beverage-fraud-definitively-approved\/","title":{"rendered":"New Italian law against food and beverage fraud definitively approved"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Italian draft law that has recently been definitively approved introduces new criminal offences and harsher penalties for food and beverage fraud and for the marketing of food and beverages with misleading signs and labelling. <\/em><\/p>\n

On 15 April 2026 the lower house of the Italian Parliament<\/a> gave a final green light to a draft law that amends the Italian Criminal Code, introducing new criminal offences and harsher penalties for the purpose of fighting food fraud and misleading food labelling as well as counterfeiting of Geographical Indications and Denominations of Origin.\"Italian<\/p>\n

Here is a summary of the main points of interest for foreign companies exporting food and beverage products to Italy.<\/p>\n

New criminal offences and aggravating circumstances<\/span><\/h2>\n

The new provisions introduce two new criminal offences:<\/p>\n

\u201cFood fraud\u201d<\/strong> applicable to the marketing of food or beverages that are not genuine or not sourced from the declared place of origin. The penalty is detention for 2 to 12 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarketing of foods with untruthful signs\u201d<\/strong> applicable to the use in commerce of trade marks or indications misleading the public as to the quality and quantity of food and beverage. The penalty is detention for 3 to 18 months.<\/p>\n

Aggravating circumstances are also introduced concerning the above offences:<\/p>\n