Multiple Proceedings Initiated Over the Sale of Products Containing the Term 'Feta'

The Competition Protection Authority has initiated several proceedings regarding the sale of products containing the term 'Feta'. This was reported by the Competition Protection Commission.

The Commission has launched proceedings against a total of 7 economic operators regarding the sale of cheeses that include the term 'Feta'. The reason for initiating these proceedings is the fact that the recorded products do not evidently originate from Greece.

According to the website of the European Union's geographical indications registration agency, 'Feta' is a table white cheese produced by maintaining traditional methods, preserved in brine, made exclusively from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat's milk, with the proportion of goat's milk not exceeding 30 percent of the milk's net weight. Moreover, Feta must be produced in a specifically defined geographical area that includes Macedonia, Thessaly, Thrace, central parts of mainland Greece, the Peloponnese, and the prefecture of Lesvos. The milk used for making Feta is obtained from specific breeds of sheep and goats traditionally raised in these areas, which are entirely adapted to the region and feed exclusively on the vegetation from these areas.

Additionally, according to the agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the European Union, the term 'Feta' is subject to preservation as a place of origin for the 'cheese' product category.