The measure

Senate gives final approval to the Ferragni Bill: fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 euros for fraudulent charity schemes

Producers will be required to specify which charitable organisations the funds are intended for, the amount involved and the deadline by which the payment will be made. The AGCM will impose penalties for any breaches

by Pietro Menzani

16 June 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Restrictions are being imposed on charity initiatives to protect consumers from fraudulent schemes and those that conceal forms of deception. The Senate has given final approval to the bill on charitable initiatives linked to the sale of products. The aim of the legislation is to ensure greater protection for consumers by imposing stricter regulations on commercial practices relating to the promotion, sale or supply of goods, where part of the proceeds is allocated to charity. The underlying principle of the legislation is that consumers should receive clear and non-misleading information regarding charitable initiatives, thereby making the market more transparent.

The process

The bill was, in fact, tabled in the Chamber of Deputies on the Government’s initiative in February 2024, just a few weeks after the ‘Pandoro-gate’ scandal broke: the influencer Chiara Ferragni had been fined one million euros by the Competition Authority for ‘unfair commercial practices’ relating to sales of the Balocco ‘Pink Christmas’ pandoro, the proceeds of which were supposed to contribute to a donation for the Regina Margherita Hospital in Turin.

In early April 2026, the bill – known in the media simply as the ‘Ferragni Bill’ – was passed by the Chamber of Deputies and referred to the Senate’s Industry Committee, which completed its examination and forwarded the bill to the Senate in May.

Transparency

The text of the draft bill, which consists of six articles, states that ‘consumers are entitled to receive adequate information from manufacturers and traders regarding the allocation of a portion of the proceeds from the sale of a product’ when this is earmarked for organisations operating in the charitable sector.

Manufacturers will therefore be required to clearly state on the product packaging – in addition to the price – the recipient of part of the proceeds, the purposes for which this portion of the proceeds will be used, and also the percentage of the sale price or the amount per unit of the product to be donated to the recipients.

It is specified that the information in question may also be provided by ‘affixing a paper or adhesive label to the packaging’, but always ‘ensuring clarity, simplicity and adequate visual prominence’. All these details must be provided by manufacturers and professionals in commercial communications as well, including product advertising (both traditional advertising and influencer marketing).

The role of the AGCM and sanctions

Furthermore, at least fifteen days before the start of the sale, producers will be required to provide the same information to the Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM). It will then be necessary to specify the deadline by which part of the proceeds will be paid to the beneficiary organisations and – within three months of the expiry of the specified deadline – to notify the AGCM that the payment has actually been made.

The draft bill provides for substantial fines for those who fail to comply with the obligations set out therein, and it will be the AGCM itself that imposes them. Those who breach the disclosure and transparency obligations laid down in the draft bill will face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 euros. The AGCM also has the power to require the producer or trader subject to the penalty to publish, at their own expense, details of the penalty on their website and social media pages, in newspapers or through any other means that ensures consumers are informed. In the event of non-compliance with the publication obligation, an administrative fine of between 5,000 and 50,000 euros will be imposed.