UK Protected Foods At Risk

This could lead to counterfeit versions of foods such as Farmhouse Cheddar and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies being exported to Britain from outside the EU, possibly damaging the domestic market for these items.

Producers affected by this may learn something from the consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano, which has partnered with a brand protection agency to strengthen its reputation across the world.

The agency, NetNames, has been brought in by the consortium to scour the internet for counterfeit products in order to retain the integrity of genuine Parmigiano Reggiano.

Parmigiano Reggiano has been a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product since 1996, and Parmesan was ruled to be an evocation of Parmigiano Reggiano since 2008, yet outside the EU the name Parmesan has been given to products similar to Parmigiano Reggiano as it is considered generic and not protected . As a result of this, Parmesan is the most imitated cheese in the world. The USA is the largest market outside the EU with exports worth $150 million each year, which has incurred serious damage to the genuine Parmigiano Reggiano product.

Riccardo Deserti, director at Parmigiano-Reggiano said, “Today, the internet is one of the main channels our product is marketed and sold through. The Consortium decided to engage in this important partnership with NetNames, one of the world’s leading online brand protection and domain name management specialists, in order to execute a significantly more targeted defence and surveillance of our name against infringements on the main online marketplaces sites.

“We hope that from this agreement we can protect our dairies and consumers against counterfeiting, and therefore protect the reputation and integrity of our unique product.”

Jim Evans, general manager Northern Europe at NetNames said, “Securing a contract with the Consortium of Parmigiano-Reggiano to protect the tradition and integrity of one of the oldest and most popular cheeses in the world is testament to NetNames’ expertise and knowledge of brand protection, and leading position in this area.

“NetNames has extensive experience of working closely with some of the largest and most-recognised food and drink brands around the world. Our specialist technology and expert analysts have the knowledge to identify the areas in which intellectual property rights are enforceable. This expertise will allow us to protect Parmigiano-Reggiano’s trademark against infringements in the most proactive and effective ways possible.”