Exports of Olio Toscano PGI grew by +25.1 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year. Along with the boom in sales is the boom in attempted fraud, with as many as 137 cases of illicit references in the past two years on e-commerce platforms worldwide.
With 41 million euros in export value (+8 million euros in 2022 compared to 2021), Olio Toscano PGI is the best-selling, most famous, and most appreciated high-quality Italian olive oil in the world (source: Qualivita-Ismea report). This is also why it is one of the Italian food products subject to numerous counterfeiting attempts. With 8,000 operators between producers and processors out of a national total of 23,160, and seven million registered plants, the Olio Toscano PGI protection Consortium is the most important olive oil consortium in Italy.
THE GROWTH TREND
The positive and growing trend was confirmed by Olio Toscano PGI Consortium President Fabrizio Filippi on the sidelines of Taste, the food show organized by Pitti Immagine in Florence. “Interest in Tuscan oil is growing. We have come to export 60 percent of PGI-certified products, more than 40 percent of which go to the United States. It is more difficult for foreign consumers to defend themselves against counterfeiting because, in some countries, there are no bilateral agreements, regulations, or controls. We also managed to register the certification process to raise the level of protection from counterfeit attempts in the United States,” Filippi said. “This will allow us to better defend ourselves against anyone who improperly uses the ‘Toscano PGI’ brand. Italian sounding is a great detriment to business, however, it paradoxically certifies the great desire for Tuscan products in the world.”
