The Slovenian flag guarantees that agricultural products or food are 100% Slovenian in origin

SLOVENIA, March 10 - Today's event in Koper brought together key actors in the food chain – from the state and agricultural cooperatives to the processing industry and top-level gastronomy. For all of them, and especially for consumers, the use of the Slovenian flag represents an absolute guarantee that agricultural products or food are 100% Slovenian in origin. This is an important step towards the greater visibility of Slovenian food on shop shelves and further strengthens consumer confidence in domestic products included in quality schemes that already guarantee products of Slovenian origin.

The Rules on the use of the label with the graphic image of the flag of the Republic of Slovenia in the labelling of agricultural products and food from quality schemes were published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia on Friday, 6 March 2026, and will enter into force on the fifteenth day after publication, that is on 21 March 2026. From that day onwards, producers who meet all the prescribed conditions will be able to label their products with the graphic image of the Slovenian flag. The use of the flag is intended for agricultural products and food included in quality schemes in which all stages – production, processing and packaging – are carried out in Slovenia. These include the following schemes: selected quality – Slovenia, integrated agricultural products, organic products (Agriculture Slovenia), protected designation of origin, higher quality, the golden standard of welfare, and optional quality indications (for example, products originating from mountain regions). The label will allow consumers to recognise products from quality schemes that guarantee Slovenian origin and higher quality at a glance.

When we choose a Slovenian product, we are not merely choosing food. We are choosing the effort of our farmers, the preservation of the countryside, short supply chains and a sustainable future for our country. I therefore believe that the image of the Slovenian flag on our food will become a symbol of trust, quality and pride in what we create at home.

Mateja Čalušić, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food 

The right to use the label with the flag belongs to all producers who have received a certificate from a certification body for one of the above-mentioned quality schemes for their products. The use of the label is voluntary, and the producer must notify the certification body in writing of the decision to use it in advance. The small flag on the product guarantees that the agricultural product or food has been included in a quality scheme that fully ensures Slovenian production and processing, or that the animals are born, reared and processed in Slovenia and that the product is appropriately packaged here.

For producers, the introduction of the label represents an important advantage, as it allows greater visibility concerning their quality products at points of sale and a clear distinction from competing foreign products that do not meet the conditions of those of Slovenian origin. For consumers, the label is additional and reliable confirmation that they are buying food of domestic production and processing included in one of the above-mentioned quality schemes.

Supervision of the use of the label will be carried out by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection, which will verify whether the use of the label complies with the aforementioned Rules. The ministry notes that several producers and their associations already involved in one of the above-mentioned quality schemes have expressed interest in using the flag, and therefore expects interest to increase further following the publication of the Rules.

The graphic design of the label is based on the official flag of the Republic of Slovenia, which may only be used in the form and manner determined by legislation. When using it, the rules laid down in the Rules governing the use of the graphic image of the flag must also be observed: the image must be clearly visible and placed in the same field of vision and directly next to the national image or the EU symbol; the ratio between the symbols must be 1:1, meaning that the height of the small flag must be equal to the height of the graphic part of the national marks or EU symbols; the image and other symbols must not overlap or touch. 

The introduction of the new small flag represents an important step towards greater transparency in the labelling of Slovenian products from quality schemes and towards strengthening confidence in the domestic food chain. The ministry believes that the label will contribute to better recognition of quality Slovenian food and enable consumers to make even more informed purchasing decisions.

The event was also attended by Nikola Šavle, director of the Tolmin Agricultural Cooperative; Marija Mehle, head of procurement of fresh fruit and vegetables at the Sloga Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative (KGZ Sloga); Mateja Hrvatin Kozlovič, deputy mayor of the Municipality of Koper; and chef Luka Pangos.

Nikola Šavle, director of the Tolmin cooperative, welcomed the use of the image of the Slovenian flag on agricultural products and food: "Slovenian food products certainly represent a higher standard compared with those that come from abroad. It is right that these products are labelled in such a way that customers can more easily recognise them on the shelves and that this little flag guarantees their quality, origin and added value."

Marija Mehle, head of procurement of fresh fruit and vegetables at KGZ Sloga, on the importance of the use of the flag for farmers and consumers: "Farmers will gain recognition that their products and produce are truly acknowledged, that they are important for the Slovenian countryside and for Slovenian customers. For the customer, it is very important that, through the flag, they will recognise that the food has genuinely been produced, processed, packaged and delivered to the shelves in Slovenia."

By allowing agricultural products and food to be labelled with the Slovenian flag, they will also become more attractive and recognisable to tourists, creating an additional opportunity for promoting Slovenia.