The role of PDO/PGI labelling in Italian consumers’ food choices

The ability of Italian consumers to recognize and distinguish food products protected by the European Union denomination of origin trademarks PDO and PGI through the information provided on the label was explored with 400 face-to-face interviews of consumers, responsible for household food purchasing. Cluster analysis showed that the PDO and PGI logos are commonly the main purchasing motivation for shoppers with an excellent knowledge of the EU certification labels, while consumers with no knowledge of the European origin trademarks tend to base their decision to buy on the product's lower price, better appearance and Italian origin.