The Prosciutto di Parma PDO Consortium has secured a significant legal victory in its long-running campaign to defend the Prosciutto di Parma Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Italy’s Supreme Court has handed down a final ruling that ends a protracted dispute over the unlawful evocation of the Parma name, reinforcing the protections afforded to one of Italy’s best-known food brands.
The case dates back to 2017 and centred on an Abruzzo-based cured-meat producer accused of exporting to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Luxembourg packets of generic ham labelled “Jambon tipo Parma.” Both Italian and EU law prohibit such practices, which were deemed to mislead consumers and exploit the reputation of PDO products.
The firm’s owner had already been convicted of commercial fraud in lower courts. The ruling now confirms definitively that even partial or suggestive references to a protected designation constitute a violation—regardless of whether consumers are aware that they are buying a non-certified product.
“A DECISIVE PRINCIPLE”
Alessandro Utini, President of the Prosciutto di Parma PDO Consortium, hailed the decision: “Defending the intellectual property represented by the PDO Prosciutto di Parma—particularly against misappropriation and misleading evocation for commercial gain—has always been our mission, in Italy and abroad. We welcome this judgment, which strengthens the recognition and protection our PDO product deserves.”
He stressed that the case underscores a fundamental legal principle: fraud exists whenever a protected designation is invoked improperly, even if no consumer deception is intended. Labels bearing “tipo Parma”, Utini argued, not only blur consumer expectations but also risk undermining the image and distinctiveness of Prosciutto di Parma PDO itself.
BEYOND ONE BRAND
According to Stefano Fanti, the Consortium’s Director, the ruling has implications that extend beyond Parma ham: “This judgment is an important step in support of Prosciutto di Parma and, more broadly, for Italy’s Geographical Indications. Given their prestige and reputation, these products are often the target of speculative attempts at image exploitation. Results like this reinforce the safeguarding efforts carried out by the Consortium in collaboration with Origin Italia GIs association and national authorities.”
The ruling thus sets a precedent for defending Italian PDO and PGI products, underscoring how much Europe’s food economy depends on trust in the authenticity of regional names.