Regional Product
A regional product is one that comes from the same region where it is sold. They are usually products produced or grown on a small scale. Often these products also have a regional recipe or composition. Generally, they are food products.
Possible reasons for choosing a regional product are:
- The characteristic features of the product (such as taste)
- Supporting local entrepreneurs and businesses
- Saving the environment (less transportation and small-scale production)
Local products can be found in specialty stores but also in many supermarkets, where they are increasingly being added to the assortment due to demand. Many retail chains offer entrepreneurs the space to add local products to the shelves on a limited scale. This can also be considered a form of corporate social responsibility.
An important target market for many regional products is tourism.
They can be general products that are grown or produced locally or products that a region or city is known for. Some examples of products that are common as local products include cheese, meats (such as sausages), honey, mustard, jams, pastries and alcoholic beverages such as beers, wines and liqueurs.
Some examples of well-known regional products:
- Beerenburg (Friesland)
- Bosche Bollen ('s Hertogenbosch)
- Frisian or Groningen dry sausage
- Gouda cheese
- Opperdoezer Round (potatoes)
- Antwerp hands (cookies)
- Belgian abbey beer
- Mozerella, gorgonzola (Italy)
- Feta cheese (Greece)
- Parma ham (Spain)
Protected regional products
Some regional products have legally protected status. This may mean that the products may only be produced in a certain region. This also sometimes includes requirements for composition. A distinction is made between protected geographical indications, protected designations of origin and guaranteed traditional specialties.
Within the European Union, some 600 products are protected. Protected products that do not meet one or more set requirements can be considered plagiarism.
In the Netherlands, many regional products can be recognized by the label Erkend Streekproduct, which is managed by the Streekeigen Producten Nederland foundation.
