A Chinese company is controversial by putting a picture that looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa on the packaging of mozzarella cheese. It is that consumers may mistake the product picture for ‘Italian original cheese’.
The British daily Guardian reported on the 8th (local time) that Gaofu Foods, a Chinese company, is making and selling ‘European Mozzarella Cheese’ in Austria. Mozzarella is the pride of southern Italy and is commonly known as ‘pizza cheese’.
According to reports, the packaging of products made by Gao Fu Foods says ‘European Mozzarella Cheese’. Beneath it is a painting that reminds us of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the gondola (a boat that navigates the canals in downtown Venice, Italy), both of which are famous in Italy. The gondola in the wrapping paper is depicted as if it were against the backdrop of the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal, a tourist attraction in Venice.
‘European Mozzarella Cheese’ made in Austria by Gao Fu Foods. Italian Brothers (FdI) Congressman Tomaso Lasolini Facebook captureRep. Tomaso Lasolini of the ruling Italian Brothers (FdI) party criticized Gaofu Foods by posting a photo on Facebook. He said, “It is a serious problem to attach Italian specialties to products of questionable origin,” and “It is a case of counterfeiting that harms the excellence of Italian agricultural products.”
The Italian food industry also raised issues. An association of food experts has labeled Gaofu Foods products fake, and guided consumers to part with authentic Italian products. The association claims the product has been found not only in China and the United States, but also in Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, Australia and even Italy.
Rialto Bridge and gondolas in Venice, ItalyAccording to Coldiretti, Italy’s largest agricultural association, the global market for cloned Italian food increased to about 120 billion euros (about 174.22 trillion won) last year. “It’s one of the worst cases of identity theft,” said a Coldiretti official. “Products like this confuse consumers and steal the original Italian food market.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.