The Balearic Government has seized over 2,000 bottles of water at Palma Airport after discovering that they had been falsely marketed as being from Mallorca. The product was labelled "Agua de Mallorca / Mallorca Water" despite having been bottled outside the Balearic Islands.
The seizure followed a complaint from within the agri-food sector, prompting inspectors from the Directorate General for Agri-food Quality and Local Products to visit the airport outlet. They confirmed that the water originated from another Spanish region, constituting a breach of origin-labelling regulations.
The regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment has warned that such violations may result in administrative penalties. The case is being treated as a potentially serious offence, which carries a minimum fine of €3,000.
Joan Llabrés, Director General for Agri-food Quality and Local Products, said only goods genuinely produced in Mallorca are permitted to use the island’s name on their labels. He added that authorities would take a zero-tolerance approach towards operators seeking to profit unfairly from local geographical names.
Llabrés also said the department responds swiftly to complaints from the sector, alongside its routine food quality controls, in order to prevent unfair competition and protect local producers.