- 01/01/2026
- Posted by: Marta
- Category: Questions and answers
Dear Dario,
I'm wondering if it's mandatory to use Italian for nutritional claims, such as "rich in protein," and more generally for mandatory and voluntary information on the labeling of prepackaged foods sold in Italy.
Many thanks
Anna
The language requirements for food labelling are established partly in the Food Information Regulation (EU) No 1169/11, partly in Legislative Decree 231/17 which implements this regulation in Italy and defines the sanctions, and partly in the Consumer Code.
Consumer information, Regulation (EU) 1169/11
Regulation (EU) 1169/11 on food information to consumers establishes the following:
- 'Without prejudice to Article 9, paragraph 3, the Required Information on foods appear in an easily understood language by consumers in the Member States in which the food is marketed.
- On their territory, the Member States in which a food is marketed they can impose that such indications are provided in one or more official languages of the Union.
- Paragraphs 1 and 2 do not prevent such indications from appearing in multiple languages' https://fareagrifood.com/2024/01/21/etichette-alimentari-lingue-diverse/ (article 15).
Implementation in Italy of Regulation (EU) 1169/11
Il Legislative Decree 231 / 17, which implements in Italy the Food Information Regulation (EU) No 1169/11 and updates the sanctioning framework on food labelling and advertising, expressly refers to the obligation to use the Italian language to information relating only to:
- food products offered for sale to the final consumer or to mass caterers without pre-packaging, products packaged at the point of sale at the consumer's request, products pre-packaged for the purpose of direct sale, products not constituting sales units, drinks sold by tap, non-pre-packaged waters suitable for human consumption, supplied in mass caterers and other public establishments, pre-packaged confectionery and bakery products but intended to be sold individually or in bulk (Articles 19.10, 23.3);
- non-prepackaged foods offered for sale through vending machines or automated commercial premises (Articles 18.2, 22.1).
However, as far as it specifically concerns theinformation intended for consumers and end users, the provisions of the Consumer Code must be taken into account.
Consumer Code, language requirements for labelling
The Consumer Code, Legislative Decree 206/2005 and subsequent amendments, establishes the following:
- 'All information intended for consumers and users must be made at least in Italian language.
- If the indications referred to in this title are placed in multiple languages, the same are also affixed in Italian and with characters of visibility and readability no less than those used for other languages.
- Indications that use non-Italian expressions have become in common use'(Article 9).
Conclusions
The principle according to which only the information established as mandatory on the label of pre-packaged food products should be reported in a 'understandable language' – as established in Regulation (EU) 1169/11, Article 15 – applies only, in Italy, to information B2B (business-to-business).
All information addressed to consumers and end users, as provided for by the Consumer Code, must be reported in Italian languageHowever, expressions in non-Italian languages which have become obsolete are permitted. common use, which may be different between the nutritional claims listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No. 1924/06 (e.g. 'high proteins', 'low sugar', 'light').
The lack of use of the Italian language, on the other hand, can be subjected to fines if this could mislead the consumer as to the essential characteristics of the product, pursuant to Article 7.1.a of Regulation (EU) No. 1169/11. Such violation is subject to an administrative fine ranging from €3.000 to €24.000, pursuant to Legislative Decree 231/17, Article 3.
Cordially
Dario
Picture of Macourt Media su Unsplash
References
- Legislative Decree 15 December 2017, no. 231. Sanctions for violations of the provisions of Regulation (EU) no. 1169/2011, relating to the provision of food information to consumers and the adaptation of national legislation to the provisions of the same Regulation (EU) no. 1169/2011 and Directive 2011/91/EU, pursuant to Article 5 of Law no. 170 of 12 August 2016 «European Delegation Law 2015. Legislation. https://www.normattiva.it/esporta/attoCompleto?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2018-02-08&atto.codiceRedazionale=18G00023
- Legislative Decree 6 September 2005, n. 206. Consumer Code, pursuant to Article 7 of Law 29 July 2003, n. 229. Normattiva (Last updated: 03/12/25 https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:2005-09-06;206)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004. Consolidated text: 01/04/2025 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/2025-04-01
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European parliament and of the council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods. Consolidated text: 12/13/2014 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1924/2014-12-13
