Overview
- Italian agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida called jars of Delhaize ‘Carbonara’ in the European Parliament supermarket unacceptable and requested an immediate investigation.
- Fratelli d’Italia lawmakers wrote to Parliament President Roberta Metsola seeking checks under EU food‑labelling rules over the use of Italian symbols and evocative terms.
- The Delhaize own‑brand sauce contains cream and pancetta and carries an Italian flag noting “Italian pancetta,” diverging from the traditional recipe using guanciale and no cream.
- Delhaize said the naming and packaging comply with the law, cited official inspections of its Italian suppliers that found no violations, and indicated the products will remain on shelves.
- No sanctions or removals have been announced, with the row feeding into Italy’s campaign against ‘Italian sounding’ goods—often pegged by Coldiretti as a €100–120 billion problem—and preceding a UNESCO decision on Italy’s cuisine expected in early December.