The March issue of Ristorazione Italiana Magazine features an insightful article by Silvia Bolognani exploring the growing phenomenon of food influencers and the need for regulation in this area.
From a legal perspective, collaborations between influencers and brands fall within the scope of the Italian Consumer Code (Legislative Decree 206/2005) and Legislative Decree 145/2007:
- The former protects consumers from unfair commercial practices
- The latter safeguards professionals against misleading advertising
As these activities are primarily carried out online, the relevant communication authorities have also intervened. Among them, the Italian Advertising Standards Authority (IAP) issued the Digital Chart to provide guidelines.
A new Code of Conduct, developed in 2024 by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), is also expected to be published soon. One of the most notable changes will be the requirement to clearly disclose when content is sponsored, using immediately visible labels such as “advertising,” “adv,” or “sponsored by.”