Signs of identification of quality and origin An original organization

When shopping for food, all consumers come across agricultural products bearing a Signe d'Identification de la Qualité et de l'Origine (SIQO), often mistakenly referred to as labels: Appellation d'Origine Protégée/Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC/AOP), Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP), Indication géographique (IG), Label Rouge (LR), Spécialité Traditionnelle Garantie (STG), Agriculture Biologique (AB).

These official signs are recognized by the public authorities on the recommendation of the Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité (INAO), which then manages them. Since its creation in 1935, this public body has operated in an original way, bringing together public authorities and industry representatives.

By contributing to better market segmentation, while promoting know-how and production areas, SIQOs also provide consumers with quality products and official guarantees on manufacturing methods, product origin and control.

One of INAO's missions is to protect these products, particularly against international usurpation, while at the same time ensuring the integrity of SIQO production zones.

This article describes the organization in place for the recognition, control and protection of SIQOs, as well as the various players involved.

A list of acronyms is provided at the end of the article.