Meloni’s Party Criticizes “Italian-Style” Products in European Parliament
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, Brothers of Italy, has launched a new campaign against “Italian-style” products sold in the European Parliament’s supermarket in Brussels.
The party recently sent a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, complaining about pasta sauces that use Italian flags and names, even though the products are not fully made in Italy.
Italian conservatives have previously criticized the European Commission for “cancelling Christmas.” Now, they are targeting the European Parliament, saying it is allowing fake “Italian-style” products to be sold on its premises.
On Tuesday, the Brothers of Italy party announced that it would officially submit a letter to Metsola. The letter points out that some sauces in the Parliament building’s first-floor market carry Italian flags and names, which could mislead customers.
“The improper use of symbols or references to Italy on products that are not made in Italy may be considered deceptive and could be punishable,” said Carlo Fidanza, head of the party’s delegation in Parliament, citing EU rules against misleading advertising.
The move follows a Facebook post by Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, who shared photos of bottled sauces made in Belgium but labeled with Italy’s flag and Italian-sounding names, including the famous carbonara sauce.
“I asked for an immediate check on this,” Lollobrigida wrote on Tuesday.
Euronews confirmed that these sauces are indeed sold in the Parliament’s market.
The labels on the products do not claim they are made entirely in Italy. They only say that some ingredients come from Italy, which is why the Italian flag appears on the packaging.
Interestingly, the carbonara sauce itself does not follow the traditional Italian recipe. It contains heavy cream and pancetta instead of guanciale and no cream — the original ingredients used in classic carbonara. However, this detail was not the main point of Lollobrigida’s complaint.
This campaign is part of a series of food-related complaints by Meloni’s party. The party has previously criticized the use of meat-related terms like “burger” or “sausage” for plant-based foods. It has even passed a law banning lab-grown meat production in Italy.
Minister Lollobrigida is familiar with food controversies. Two years ago, he caused a stir by saying, “In Italy, poor people eat better than the rich.”
In Italy, pre-made sauces in jars are often frowned upon. Italians pride themselves on traditional recipes and high-quality ingredients.
In September 2024, a new “carbonara-in-a-can” product from US manufacturer Heinz sparked a huge backlash in Italy. Michelin-starred chef Alessandro Pipero called it so bad that it was “like cat food.”
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