Counterfeit Tuscan Olive Oil at Harrods

Online and in-store sales suspended. Action taken by central inspectorate for food quality protection and fraud suppression

The counterfeit “Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil” at Harrods first came to light during a search of the store’s website. Officials then visited London, purchased a small bottle for £12.95 and submitted a report to the UK authorities. Following a by now well-tried procedure, the ministry of agriculture’s inspectorate for safeguarding quality and suppressing fraud in food and agricultural products blocked online and in-store sales of oil “made using 100% Tuscan olives”, a product that flaunts the regulations for protected geographical indications guaranteeing the traceability and authenticity of genuine Tuscan olive oil.

Stefano Vaccari, the inspectorate head of department who uncovered the false Tuscan olive oil, said: “Labels like that suggest the product’s Tuscanness but it was bottled in the UK, as in fact it said on the label, and this contravenes the product protocol laid down by the European Community”. Several months ago, Mr Vaccari discovered fake San Daniele ham in the UK and had it removed from the shelves using the same own-initiative procedure. “Protecting and promoting genuine Italian products around the world is an absolute priority for this government, and a strategic mission for the Italian economy”, said the newly appointed agriculture minister, Maurizio Martina, who thanked the inspectorate and the UK’s DEFRA (Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs), “whose collaboration was swift and effective”. Mr Martina added: “Defending designations of origin and Italy’s heritage of food excellence is the battlefield where, on a daily basis, we deploy the finest supervisory forces available to the ministry. This result is further confirmation of the importance of European laws in this area, and of our ability to demand their proper implementation on EC territory”.

The laws in question are enshrined in European regulation 1151/12. Italy lobbied hard for the legislation, which safeguards PGI (protected geographical indication) and PDO (protected designation of origin) products and can be enforced all over European Union with the full involvement of member countries. For Tuscan olive oil, recently under attack in New York Times cartoons exposing the counterfeiting of extra virgin oil, “Tuscan-sounding” labels are another body blow. Fabrizio Filippi, who chairs the Tuscan IGP olive oil protection consortium, sighs: “Sadly, we are aware that our excellences are copied all over the world. Products exploit the name of our region to the detriment of producers who, despite all the difficulties, lend lustre to the Tuscan brand. Much remains to be done for Tuscan olive oil to provide clear, accurate information among consumers and promote the choice of a genuine, certified product”.