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The Parma Ham Consortium insists on advertising but few know what PDO is
Corriere della Sera 24 December 2025.
Perhaps you should start there: on the PDO read this piece.
On ham read this article.
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Shein opens a distribution centre in Poland
Shein 's distribution centre is located on an area of 40,000 square metres at the GLP Wroclaw V Logistics Centre in Magnice, near Wroclaw, employing more than a thousand people. The distribution centre is located at the crossroads of routes that facilitate the delivery of products to customers in Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. Employees will benefit from convenient bus and train connections from the centre of Wroclaw and neighbouring cities.
Blocking Shein as the French government would like to do is impossible, making it comply with European standards should be a goal of all EU states. Below: some Shein garments at the BHV department store in Paris.
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China raises its sights on European dairy products: duties up to 42.7 per cent
The trade war between China and the European Union is widening and hitting one of the continent's iconic agri-food sectors. Starting tomorrow, Beijing will apply provisional duties on dairy products imported from the EU, with rates ranging from 21.9% to 42.7%. In the crosshairs are milk and cheese, excellences that represent a significant item of European exports to the Chinese market.
The measure comes as a direct response to the tensions that have exploded in recent months around electric vehicles. After Brussels launched an investigation into Chinese state subsidies to car manufacturers, Beijing has gradually extended the comparison to other sectors, this time focusing on agriculture and the food industry. Red Prawn
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US: dollar sales of fresh beef increased by 12.4% to USD 44 billion
But beef prices have risen 6.7% in the past year, with inflation accelerating in recent months, according to data from Chicago-basedCircana.
Despite rising prices, beef is seeing growth in premium segments, such as the Prime line of Certified Angus Beef (pictured below). Source : Progressive Grocer
The increase in total volume (kg) - premium and non-premium - was still very strong at 5.7%. Read more on the subject here.
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Walmart: leading manufacturer of private-label items in the US
Walmart is not only focusing on regenerative agriculture, but aims to eliminate non-natural products from its private-label range. It has also invested in a 2300 square metre production facility in Arkansas. Source : Dominique Pierre Locher
FMGC: consumer goods
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Conad launches the Benessity format
... In the immediate future, the most important news concerns ..- the launch of a new format dedicated to health and wellness, Benessity. Inspired by a formula that has enjoyed great success in the Anglo-Saxon world, it aims to be a one-stop shop for all health and wellness needs of consumers. Classic wellness products will only be part of what the customer will find in the shop. In fact, Conad's experience with parapharmacies and opticians' shops will also converge in it. The great novelty in terms of design will be the spaces dedicated to examinations (of the hair, skin, Moc), also with the aid of telemedicine, i.e. with the expert connecting remotely (dietician, dermatologist for skin cancer and remote reporting).
How this will be done remains to be seen, but the idea seems very interesting and innovative.
Conad beat inflation with growth at 4.4% . Mdd at 34.1%
Drafted 21 December, updated 22 December 2025
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Carrefour – Centromarca clash: Mastrolia plays the populist?
Bump between the CEO of NewPrinces Group and the president of Centromarca Francesco Mutti. Between 'disorderly association' and 'shouted messages'. With the mystery of the company's registration in the middle. What will be the developments? And Mastrolia denies that his company is a member of Centromarca (Confindustria): is he being populist or has he simply gone into confusion? It is difficult to wear the two jackets of opposing fronts (GDO and IDM) at the same time!
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Mercosur agreement splits trade unions: farmers ready to protest, winegrowers demand to sign
In view of the decisive meeting between Lula and Von der Leyen, Coldiretti is back on the streets in Brussels, while the Italian Wine Union is pushing to close the treaty and thus open new trade outlets. Source
Read more on the subject here
(from French sources: an agreement has been found on economic and environmental safeguard clauses)
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Glyphosate: one of the most influential studies ensuring the safety of the herbicide has been withdrawn, twenty-five years after its publication
A 2000 study concluding the safety of the well-known herbicide, widely cited since then, has just been officially refuted by the journal that published it. The scientists who signed the study are suspected of having endorsed a text prepared by Monsanto executives...
In 2017, in part of its investigation into the 'Monsanto Papers', Le Monde reported that Monsanto executives exchanged emails in 2015 on how to produce new summaries intended to prove the safety of glyphosate in the scientific literature. The aim was to convince regulatory agencies... According to a count by Le Monde, it is cited about forty times in the 2015 European expert report that led to the reauthorisation of the herbicide in 2017. Source: Le Monde
Monsanto's Roundup was classified as 'possibly carcinogenic'
Read about lobbying by Monsanto – now owned by Bayer – here.
Written on 13 December, updated on 16 December 2025. Below: Roundup sold on Walmart shelves.
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Normal, the discount chain from Denmark
Normal, which opened its Italian subsidiary in March 2025, now has five outlets between Milan and Rome. Founded in Denmark in 2013, Normal, with almost 900 shops in Europe, has been a resounding success in France with 210 shops and a turnover increased from €9 million to €347 million in 4 years (2020- 2024).
In France, it opens a shop every 9 days with the aim of reaching 1,000 (today Action has almost 900 in France. source: Le Monde).
The Danish chain sells mainly personal care products. It also has sweets.
With Action, it proves that simplicity, speed and standardisation in a small format can be successful.
In Italy perhaps, given the speed of the French subsidiary, development will have to be accelerated.
Drafted on 15 December, updated on 16 December 2025
