The initiative belongs to the deputies of the PAS faction and is stated as a measure to strengthen food security and support local producers.
According to the new requirements, information on the country of origin will be mandatory for all food products, both pre-packaged and sold by weight. The flag will be allowed, but only together with the name of the country. It will be prohibited to use the flag separately.
For pre-packaged goods and products packaged in a store, the country of origin must be indicated directly on the price tag. The requirement for readability is also set out in the law – the font must be at least 0.3 cm.
The norm will affect all retail outlets with an area of more than 30 square meters.
The authors of the law argue that greater transparency on the shelves can stimulate the development of local supply chains. They estimate that this will boost sales of local products in the fresh goods segment by up to 15% in the medium term.
Penalties for violation of the new rules are stipulated: for officials – from 3,000 to 6,000 lei, for legal entities – from 6,000 to 12,000 lei. The sanctions will be applied for the absence or incorrect indication of the country of origin, as well as for the violation of the rules on the use of the flag.
