Swiss study: higher prices for cheese with protected geographical indication

Indications of geographical origin play a central role in the cheese trade, a Swiss study shows. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Designations such as PDO (protected designation of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication) signal a product’s unique qualities and geographical origin. PGIs are an important marketing tool for the agribusiness sector. Gruyère or Roquefort cheeses, for example, are worth more than Gouda Holland or Raclette du Valais, Agroscope, the Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research, said in a statement. The difference is that the cheese names Roquefort and Gruyère are protected. In the case of Gouda Holland or Raclette du Valais, only the full name is protected and not the type of cheese. More competition on cheeses In their study published in the trade journal Agribusiness, Agroscope experts showed that imports and exports of Swiss cheese with a full PDO have a price premium about 5% higher than similar products.