Supply Chain Traceability Certifications: a Tool for Guarantee and Marketing Leverage of Authentic Italian Food Products
This article is featured in the Magazine “Exploring Origin – The Importance of Knowing Where Food Comes From”, created in collaboration with Global Retail Brands. You can find more insights about the Magazine and additional articles here.
Food fraud and counterfeiting practices are a significant concern in retail, especially when long supply chains exist and a single product travels a long distance before arriving on a shelf, and ultimately on our table.
Several “Made in Italy” brands and products are perceived as high quality and value in various sectors, including agri-food. For this reason, they are often at risk of being targeted by misleading marketing and illegal practices.
The Italian agri-food sector is considered a national heritage worth 538 billion euros and contributes 25% to the Italian GDP. It employs 4 million people in 740,000 farms, 70,000 food industries, over 330,000 restaurants, and 230,000 retail outlets (source: COLDIRETTI 2021).
For reference, in 2021 alone, the global sales of Italian-sounding agri-food products generated a turnover of 100 billion euros. Italian-sounding products employ a marketing strategy that uses words, images, color combinations, and geographical references to promote agri-food products. These brands are designed to evoke authenticity and quality even though they were made outside of Italy and have little to no link with Italian cuisine or food traditions.
EU Geographical Indications for Protecting Producers, Informing Retailers, and Educating Consumers
To protect producers, inform retailers, and educate consumers about imitations, the European Union has established certifications supported by a legal framework of strict quality and legal regulations.
The EU Geographical Indications system protects local economies from unfair competition. It also aims to protect the environment, as the strong link with the original territory requires safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity. Finally, it promotes social cohesion within the entire community, solidifying the pride and connection around the local specialties.
The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is a certification mark that confirms a product’s origin from a specific place, region, or country. It signifies that the product’s quality or characteristics are primarily or exclusively attributable to the particular geographical environment and its inherent natural and human factors. Furthermore, it ensures that all the production stages occur within the defined geographical area.
The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) seal identifies a product from a specific place, region, or country. The product’s unique characteristics, quality, or reputation are intrinsically linked to the geographic origin. Additionally, the production must take place in the delimited geographical area for at least one of its phases.
Italy has the highest number of products with geographical indications and designations of origin in the EU among its member states, 316, with an additional 526 wines certified with a DOC and IGT seal. This is further evidence of the high quality of Italian productions and the vital link between Italian agri-food excellence and their original territory.
“In recent years, people have become increasingly aware of the products they consume. They tend to prefer items that are authentic, healthy, and have a clear origin. Additionally, individuals are interested in establishing a connection with the cultural identity of the places where these products come from.
It’s worth noting that in 2021, authentic Italian agri-food continued to demonstrate its value to consumers worldwide. Exports have increased 12%, bringing the total value to an impressive 52 billion euros. This is partly due to mandatory and voluntary regulations, which help reduce risks for both consumers and companies.
The traceability of food products, once considered an internal need for companies, is now a legal requirement and a strategic necessity for the agri-food supply chain. For Italian companies and brands that still want to certify the authenticity of their products, for productions that generate important volumes and depend on longer supply chains, outside of the scope of Geographical Iindications, luckily other solutions are available.
Empowering Supply Chains Through ISO 22005 and Traceability Certification
The rise in popularity of other traceability certifications, such as ISO 22005:2007, can be attributed not only to legal requirements but also to the additional benefits they offer for the finished product, companies involved in the production, and all participants in the supply chain. A third-party traceability certification is a valuable tool for preserving culture and tradition while ensuring the quality and uniqueness of products. As a result, it helps build trust among all stakeholders, including distributors and consumers.
ISO 22005 is a supply chain traceability standard adaptable to different sectors, including feed, meat and food, oil, wine, and other products. It aims to help companies document their products’ history, making it possible to trace their origin and location at any time.
It can be employed to cover the entire supply chain or specific sensitive areas in need of additional monitoring. When used throughout the entire supply chain, this standard is often necessary to prove the origin of each product and raw materials used.
Supply chain actors are increasingly emphasizing transparency, certifications, and supplier reliability to demonstrate their commitment to product quality and safety.
Ensuring food safety is crucial to protecting public health. The globalization of markets and complex production processes require regulating all aspects of the food chain, from the organization of exchanges to production methods, to ensure its safety and wholesomeness.
However, contamination of the food chain can still occur due to naturally occurring or accidentally introduced pathogens or incorrect procedures.
Traceability is crucial in today’s food industry, as it responds to consumers’ demands for food safety and helps to share responsibilities among supply chain actors. It is also a valuable tool to enhance competitiveness and rationalize production systems, thereby improving the quality of agri-food production.
ISO 22005 is designed to simplify a company’s organization, combining internal processes to implement a traceability management system in agri-food supply. A certified and transparent supply chain can assist companies and brands in fulfilling their legal obligations, highlighting the unique characteristics of their products, such as their origin or territory, showcasing the particular features of their ingredients, and meeting the expectations of their customers, whether they are retailers or end consumers.
Food sector main certifications
IFS FOOD – Standard for auditing product and process compliance in relation to food safety and quality
IFS LOGISTIC – Standard for auditing logistics services in relation to product safety and quality
IFS BROKER – Standard for auditing Trade Agencies’ Importers’ and Brokers’ service compliance in relation to product quality and safety Standard for auditing Trade Agencieselation to product quality and safety
BRCGS FOOD – Global Standard Food Safety
BRCGS PACKAGING – Packaging Materials Food Safety
FSSC22000 – Scheme Food Safety Management System
ISO 22000:2018 – Food Safety Management System. Requirements for any organization in the food chain
RSPO – Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil: Supply Chain Certification Standard
GLOBAL GAP – Voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products worldwide
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION – REG.EU 848/2018
FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – Private Standard of BUREAU VERITAS HOLDING
In recent years, people have become increasingly aware of the products they consume. They tend to prefer items that are authentic, healthy, and have a clear origin.”
