The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has officially agreed with UK supermarket group Asda that it has a right to sell Parma ham on its deli counter that has been sliced and packaged in the UK.

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An Italian Parma ham trade association first argued in court in November 1997 that, in order to be called Parma ham, the product has to have been sliced and packaged in the Parma region where it originated.


Asda meanwhile argued that where the meat is sliced and packaged is not important, and slicing its delicatessen Parma ham in stores in UK is a move to make the prices more competitive for consumers.


The judge at the ECJ today [Thursday] agreed with Asda in his initial “opinion”, however the final verdict will not be known for several months.

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