Turkish supermarkets and online stores are openly selling domestically produced cheese labeled "feta cheese," despite fe...

Turkish supermarkets and online stores are openly selling domestically produced cheese labeled "feta cheese," despite feta being a Greek Protected Designation of Origin product under EU law. Kathimerini reporters in Istanbul identified at least three Turkish brands doing it: Urfarm Feta, Galante Farm Feta, and Zeytinli Çiftliği's Feta Peyniri. Urfarm produces its cheese on farms in Urfa in southeastern Turkey using sheep milk, while Zeytinli Çiftliği has been making its version exclusively from goat milk near the Dardanelles for the past four years. When contacted, Zeytinli Çiftliği said they were unaware of any restrictions on using the feta name. Turkish consumers are buying heavily, partly because many visit Greece each year, taste real Greek feta, and then seek something similar back home at a lower price. The price gap tells the whole story. Turkish-made "feta" sells for roughly 7.50 to 9 euros per 400 grams. Authentic Greek feta from Dodoni, the only Greek brand found in Turkish stores, costs 27.30 euros for the same amount once Turkish tariffs and taxes are applied. Under EU law, Turkey is treated as a third country, meaning EU geographical indication protections do not apply on Turkish soil. Turkey is legally permitted to use the feta name for cheese it produces and sells domestically. The bigger concern is online sales, where a Turkish-labeled "feta" can reach buyers inside EU member states with no border controls stopping it. This follows a pattern. Turkey has previously exploited the reputation of Greek products for commercial gain, including a case where a Kurdish-Turkish entrepreneur sold strained yogurt in the United States under the "Greek yogurt" label, arguing the term had simply become generic. Greece's Ministry of Rural Development told Kathimerini that the country's inter-professional feta organization, representing both producers and exporters, should take the initiative on any protection or awareness campaign. #Feta #Greece #Turkey