Trademarks in the Italian olive oil sector (1868-1942)

Olive oil immediately emerged as one of the key sectors of Italian agri-food since the unification of the country (1861). The essay aims to contribute to the study of the evolution of this sector, mainly through the analysis of trademarks registered in Italy between 1868 and 1960. The olive oil sector represents one of the earliest and most advanced cases of strategic trademark use within the Italian food industry. Unlike many other agri-food sectors, where trademarks initially functioned primarily as defensive tools against imitation and counterfeiting practices, olive oil producers rapidly developed a more complex and proactive understanding of the brand as a communicative and competitive instrument. In this sector, trademarks did not merely certify origin or protect intellectual property; they became vehicles for building authenticity, geographical identity and consumer trust, especially in export markets.