Polish Court delivers Landmark Ruling in Favor of Prosecco DOC Over a Geographical Indication Violation

Regional Court of Warsaw makes legal history with first-ever ruling protecting the 'Prosecco' designation outside of traditional food categories

TREVISO, Italy, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sistema Prosecco announces a major success in its ongoing efforts to safeguard the proper use of the term Prosecco—both in Italy and abroad—and to protect the Designations recognized by its three member Consortia: Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC, Consorzio di Tutela Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, and Consorzio Vini Asolo Montello.

On June 11, the Regional Court of Warsaw ruled in favor of the Consortia in a case involving unauthorized use of the Prosecco designation on beauty products sold in Poland by a well-known U.S. multinational company, through a local distributor. Represented in court by the Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC, the case concluded in the first instance with a favorable ruling—still subject to appeal by the opposing party. The court determined that using the name Prosecco in this context constitutes unlawful evocation, exploitation of the designation's reputation, and misleading communication to consumers. It upheld a ban on using the name Prosecco to label or market body care products, including in packaging and digital advertising.

This is the first Polish court ruling to address the infringement of a geographical indication (GI) in the non-food sector—a landmark precedent. Following this success, achieved with support from the international legal team at Bird & Bird, Sistema Prosecco will now turn its attention to the service industry, where misuse of the term Prosecco is also widespread.

The Court also confirmed the Consorzio Prosecco DOC's full legal standing to act not only against the misuse of the designation but also against unfair competition practices—affirming the Consortium's role in representing and protecting the interests of producers.

"We welcome this decision, which validates the joint protection strategy pursued with Sistema Prosecco over the years," said Giancarlo Guidolin, President of the Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC, with the support of Franco Adami (President of the Consorzio di Tutela Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG) and Michele Noal (President of the Consorzio Vini Asolo Montello). "This outcome sets an important precedent for GI protection across Europe, especially since the violation occurred in a product category far removed from wine."

Giancarlo Moretti Polegato, President of Sistema Prosecco, added: "As the Court reaffirmed, the name Prosecco may only be used for products that fully comply with the official production regulations tied to each Denomination. The three Consortia will therefore continue to collaborate closely, taking decisive action against any misuse or exploitation of the Denominations across all market sectors, in order to safeguard and promote the integrity of the entire production chain."

About Prosecco DOC: 

The Prosecco DOC Consortium (Consorzio di Tutela della Denominazione di Origine Controllata Prosecco) was established in 2009 to coordinate and manage Prosecco DOC production. The organization unites the different groups of manufacturers—wineries, individual and associated vine-growers, wine producers and sparkling wine houses—to safeguard the quality of Prosecco and promote the wines to consumers worldwide. Every bottle of Prosecco DOC can be identified by the State label on the neck as a guarantee of authenticity.  In 2020, the Prosecco DOC Rosé category was approved, leading to a new area of growth for the Consortium. The Prosecco DOC Consortium remains focused on the continued growth of the denomination and that production regulations are always complied with. For more information about Prosecco DOC and the Consortium, visit https://www.prosecco.wine/en/

SOURCE Prosecco DOC