Italian inspectors seized more than €22.6 million in wine products in 2025

Italian authorities reported 27 criminal referrals in the country’s wine sector in 2025, along with 2,461 administrative violations and seizures worth more than €22.6 million, according to the 2025 activity report of the Central Inspectorate for Quality Protection and Fraud Repression of Agri-food Products, known as Icqrf.

The report, presented in Rome on July 16, said inspectors also confiscated 5.9 million kilograms of wine-related product. The figures made wine one of the most economically significant areas flagged by the agency, which said irregularities in the sector often carry a substantial financial impact because of wine’s strategic role in Italy’s food economy.

Across the broader agri-food chain, Icqrf said it carried out 54,913 checks in 2025. Those included 44,076 inspections, with irregular findings in 14.6% of cases, and 10,837 analytical controls, with irregularities in 7.1% of cases. In total, 55,314 products were checked, with irregular results in 12% of them, and 28,227 operators were inspected, with 16.9% found to be noncompliant.

The agency said more than 11,000 of those checks were conducted in the regulated wine sector. Another 6,448 focused on foods with protected geographical indications such as DOP and IGP products.

Icqrf reported 5,559 administrative sanctions overall, 3,411 formal warnings and 132 criminal referrals sent to judicial authorities in all agri-food sectors combined. It also carried out 497 seizures with a total estimated value above €47.8 million.

The report said enforcement activity has increased since 2023, with a 21% rise in checks along the agri-food supply chain. It cited an increase from 488 three years ago to 3,536 in 2025, though the report summary released at the presentation did not further explain that comparison.

Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said the results showed the effectiveness of a more specialized control system that can identify critical issues and, in more serious cases, fraud. He said stronger oversight also has a deterrent effect against unfair competition and fraud targeting consumers.

The report was presented during an event marking two anniversaries: the 40th year since the founding of Icqrf and the 50th year since the reorganization of Italy’s agronomist and forestry profession and the establishment of its national professional council, Conaf. Organizers said the event highlighted cooperation between public inspectors and technical professionals working across the food system.

While wine stood out for the value of seizures, dairy ranked highest by volume of goods confiscated. Icqrf said more than 8.8 million kilograms were seized in that sector, with an economic value of about €19.7 million. Dairy also recorded 27 criminal referrals and 407 administrative violations.

The olive oil sector showed a different pattern. Icqrf recorded 52 criminal referrals and 961 administrative violations there, making it one of the sectors with the highest incidence of suspected criminal offenses. Still, seizure values were lower than in wine and dairy, at about €2.2 million, with roughly 400,000 kilograms confiscated.

For beverage producers and traders, the wine figures point to continued regulatory pressure on authenticity, labeling and supply-chain compliance in one of Europe’s most valuable drinks markets. That could matter beyond Italy because tighter enforcement may affect exporters, importers and buyers who rely on Italian wine certifications and origin claims when pricing and marketing bottles abroad.