At the centre of the dispute are the Italiamo (with the depiction of the tricolour shield and the words ‘Italian Passion’ on the packaging) and Combino (with images of Italian landscapes and the words ‘Italian speciality’) lines. In both cases, the Antitrust Authority ruled that the emphasis on Italianity misled the consumer, as the wheat used was largely foreign (EU and non-EU) and this information appeared only on the side or on the back, with very small and hardly legible graphic characters…
The Court of Justice of the European Union has put an end to the long legal battle over Lidl brand pasta, confirming that the use of patriotic symbols to disguise the foreign origin of wheat is an unfair commercial practice. In ruling C-301/25 filed on 30 April 2026, the Luxembourg judges agreed with the Italian antitrust authority (Agcm), reaffirming that the €1 million fine imposed on the supermarket chain is legitimate: transparency on the packaging must be immediate and cannot be hidden among the small print on the back of the package.
This slip tarnishes the image of Lidl, which would like – and has the potential – to be ‘branded’.
The image below is by Paolo Caruso (LinkedIN).
