THE MADE IN ITALY LABEL WILL ARRIVE MID APRIL, BUT WILL GO ON SHELVES AND NOT ON INDIVIDUAL PACKAGES, ANNOUNCED MINISTER MARTINA WHO DEFENDS THE PARTICIPATION OF COCA COLA AND MCDONALD'S AT EXPO: "WITHOUT THEIR BUSINESS EXPO IS INCOMPLETE"

The Made in Italy brand will be ready by mid-April and will distinguish real Made in Italy products from foreign imitations, counterfeit and Italian sounding products. The Minister of Agriculture Maurizio Martina announced at Expo of Ideas in Florence, dedicated to the Universal Exhibition in Milan that the label will not be put on the packaging but rather on the shelves, the. According to Martina, “the label will not appear on the packaging, but in the stores to distinguish the real Italian products from imitations”.

The Minister explained that the idea is to launch Made in Italy food through “an extraordinary campaign that will start next July in the United States. There is a commission, composed of professionals in the field, which will analyze the work of various agencies and I believe that by mid-April this first phase will be implemented”.
To those who asked why Coca Cola and McDonald's are sponsors for Expo 2015, the Minister replied, "it is short-sighted to think that a International Expo would not summon the large international companies. We place a great emphasis on the themes of sustainability and responsibility and if we pass up the opportunity to compare ourselves with large companies the Expo would be incomplete. We have to decide whether to have an International Expo in our image and likeness, or if we want to face the many challenges the theme of nutrition presents to the world”.

The same is true about GMOs and Martina reminded the audience that there are countries participating in the Expo, which cultivate GMOs.
“We are not upset about this. We have to decide whether we want to hold the International Expo just for us or whether we should face the challenges regarding nutrition that the world needs to discuss. It would be too easy to invite only those who think like us. Instead, I find it important that each field presents their ideas and hold in-depth discussions on topics like agricultural research. Martina concluded, reminding everyone that Italy, like other countries, supports research that goes beyond the GMO issue and that it “will be very important to see how other countries have approached some views that we have already discussed”.