The Italian Government’s “Made in Italy” campaign is under threat of being scrapped. Far from being a recipe for success, the initiative, which aimed to distinguish genuine Italian products from fake goods and snatch back billions of Euros in lost sales from goods masquerading as Italian products, has caused bitter division among food producers.

A heated debate arose over what “Made in Italy” actually meant. Hardliners insisted that no foreign ingredients should be allowed, while other producers argued that was too stringent. The failure to agree on criteria has put the initiative at risk, according to anonymous sources from the industry ministry.