Milano Cortina 2026: Italy fines 6 companies €2.5M for Olympic ambush marketing

Italy’s competition authority, the AGCM, has officially concluded a series of investigations launched earlier this year, fining six prominent companies a combined total of over €2.5 million ($2.9 million).

The competition authority said on Friday it had fined these companies for so-called ambush marketing linked to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, after finding they had misled customers over their sponsorship status.

As reported by Reuters, the companies fined are fashion brand Harmont & Blaine, supermarket chains Il Gigante, MD, Oasi and Pro7, and gas supplier ButanGas, the AGCM authority said.

AGCM said an investigation established that they ran advertising campaigns using Olympic symbols, including the five rings, and official names such as "Milano-Cortina 2026" without holding sponsorship rights.

Ambush marketing is the act of setting up advertising campaigns associating the company with a team, league or event without paying for the privilege.

The initial investigation was opened in January after monitoring by the Guardia di Finanza's Special Antitrust Unit.

Additionally, AGCM notified, the campaigns ran during the Winter Olympic Games period, when the association with the event carries the greatest commercial value.