The officers from the anti-counterfeiting unit, led by Commander Alessandro Cisternino, seized the plant-based Nutella after receiving a tip-off.
The vegan Nutella was only announced to the press on Tuesday and, according to reports, is not yet available for sale.
Police raided a small shop located in a side street off Piazza Dante, where the new Nutella was being sold at rock-bottom prices: €2.60 per jar compared to the RRP of €4.49.
Every jar—each 350 grams and identifiable by their green lids—were seized by police and will be destroyed.
The launch of vegan Nutella in Italy coincided with its launch in France and Belgium, with sales in other European markets set to begin in 2025.
The stolen shipment was reportedly taken last June. The ‘parallel’ distribution had been on hold pending today’s official presentation.
The authorities are now working to locate the remaining portion of the stolen batch through a series of inspections.
ANSA
