Made in Italy or Italian Sounding?
How the blockchain can help in the choice of products
From Parmesan to the sachet that transforms water into Chianti in a few days, Italian Sounding subtracts 120 billion dollars every year from the real Made in Italy.
We are talking about that phenomenon which consists in using labels – but not only: also packaging with symbols or colors that recall Italy – which make the consumer believe that they are buying products whose raw material and processing originate in our country. Often these products instead have a completely different derivation, sometimes not certifiable.
According to a Coldiretti estimate, in the Made in Italy agri-food sector, two out of three products are actually fakes and have no connection with Italy.
However, it is undeniable that Italian craftsmanship is highly sought after abroad and precisely in those countries where the Italian Sounding phenomenon is strongest (from the emerging ones to the richest ones such as Australia, China, Russia and the USA): as stated by Only 24 hours, 2022 was a record year for Made in Italy, recording a revenue of 600 billion. In addition to being of high quality, Made in Italy products recall Italian culture and tradition, a very specific image that is highly sought after abroad.
So how to prevent the phenomenon of Italian Sounding and poor quality imitations of our D.O.P. products?
In this case, the blockchain comes into play, which can be considered a fundamental tool to counter the threat of fake Made in Italy and ensure a competitive advantage, guaranteeing product quality and tracing the production chain in a precise, automated and integrated way. In fact, traceability plays a key role, making the offer of Italian products transparent to foreign consumers, often attracted by false and misleading labels.
By unequivocally recording all the operations that take place in the agri-food chain, the blockchain is essential in business activity, where companies must be able to trace and monitor the path of the product and thus guarantee the same quality in all stages of production and of the distribution.
A project activated in recent weeks by the ICE government agency will allow companies to enhance the originality of Made in Italy products – from raw materials to manufacturing processes – precisely through the blockchain.
The TrackIT Blockchain project will allow companies to tell the story and value of their products in a simple and direct way, thus establishing a relationship of trust with the consumer who will be certain that they are really buying Made in Italy. By joining the project, companies will be able to use a service that includes specialist consultancy for traceability; a platform that will allow to manage the blockchain; the design and development of programming interfaces; the creation of a landing page with which the consumer will be able to access all the information on the product through a QR code; assistance and maintenance of a technological partner.
In 2023, for TrackIT Blockchain, 250 exporting companies from various sectors (agri-food, fashion, cosmetics and furniture/design) will be selected. To present your application, you must have a registered office in Italy and products that comply with the Made in Italy legislation and have registered in the last three years a turnover on international markets equal to at least 20% of the total turnover or an average annual turnover on foreign markets of at least 200,000 euros in the last three years.
The membership application must be submitted electronically, attaching the required documentation, no later than 30 April 2023. (https://www.ice.it/it/blockchain)
