In today’s modern world, «made in China» is generally accepted. Even when people shop in their own country, they may find that things they thought were traditional now have an economic version from China.
In the food and drink sector, since 2012 hundreds of products have a protected designation of origin through the European DOP and IGP certificates. This regulation aims to protect not only the products, but also the traditions and unique characteristics of a specific European region. As an example, Plátano de Canarias has this certificate and as a result was recently recognised as the best selling fresh food in Spain by BrandFoodPrint from the independent consultancy Kantar. It should be noted that Spanish consumers have two choices: banana or plátano de Canarias.
On the other side, fighting for its survival, are French bakeries. The reality of this time-honoured product is that, despite the fact that the baguette has been declared an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the EU, it is now close to becoming an endangered species. That’s because bakers are currently unable to find a replacement from one generation to the next. The reasons are obvious: rising production costs, lack of interest from new generations and cheaper bread in the supermarket.
Traditional handicrafts follow in their footsteps. Their production prices can’t compete with the pirate copies. To their rescue comes the new law promoted by the EU. This regulation will also protect handicrafts. In Europe, another 800 products will be covered by this quality certificate. In essence, it will be the consumer who chooses to buy a tradition with a name and surname to guarantee its specific origin.
MAR 