*4.2. Mercosur*

The results of the Mercosur bloc presented significantly different findings from those of the EU. The empirical results of the data collected information from among the 16 online supermarkets of the four countries. The survey found 388 products labeled as GI products. From those products, 180, or 46.39%, were found in Argentine supermarkets, with Argentina being the country with most products. Paraguay, on the other hand, with 43, or 11.08%, was the country with the least number of products. Additionally, the GI products found from within the bloc were 185, or 47.68%. Besides, all other GI products found were from the EU, a total of 203 or 52.32%. The categories 1.1, 1.4, 1.7, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.18, 2.19 and 2.20 presented zero products.

All these 388 products constituted 25 different GIs. The GIs from Mercosur constituted a total of six, and the remaining 19 were all from the EU. From within the economic bloc, Brazilian markets showed three, or 50%, being the country with the highest numbers. Neither Paraguay nor Uruguay had its products available. All other 19 different GIs were: five in category 1.2; ten in category 1.3; two in category 1.5; one in category 1.6; and one in category 1.8. The EU countries with GI products available across Mercosur's supermarkets were Italy, Spain, Greece, France, Denmark, and Portugal. Additionally, category 1.3 not only had the greatest number of products but was also the most numerous relevant category in terms of the number of different GIs. Nonetheless, 216 or 55.67% of the products belonged to category 1.8, the most relevant one, of which 169, or 78.24% of the 216 products were either coffee or Yerba Mate. All other products from this category were the Aceto Balsamico di Modena from Italy. Category 1.3 had 11 different GIs or 44% of all GIs found in Mercosur. Since the categories 1.1, 1.4, 1.7, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.18, 2.19 and 2.20 presented zero products, no GIs could be summed up.

Conversely to the results presented in the above subsection, there is a significant difference between the number of products and the diversity of GI registers in Mercosur. Moreover, contrary to the EU, most products and GIs are from outside the economic bloc, as shown in Figure 3.

**Figure 3.** Origin of offered products and GI registers in e-retail markets of Mercosur.

On the Mercosur side, the data evidences a different situation from the EU. In terms of products, more than half of them were from outside the bloc. Likewise, the variety of GI that appeared in the results brings about a scenario where three-quarters of the GIs on the market come from outside the bloc. All of the products and GIs from outside the bloc come from the EU. This demonstrates the influence of the EU system over others, such as Mercosur. Additionally, the proportions demonstrated in this research show each system's capacity to overcome one another.

Regarding the categories that appeared on the South American side, fewer categories were present. Additionally, there is an unmatched proportion of GIs and products found between the categories 1.3 and 1.8, as demonstrated in Figure 4.

**Figure 4.** Products and GI registers in e-retail markets of Mercosur regarding categories.

In Figure 4, the results present a disordered situation. Mercosur's findings contained only five categories of products. Unlike the EU, Mercosur does not have registered products in all categories (INPI 2020), and Paraguay and Uruguay have no registered agrifood products other than wine. Therefore, the results are more a sum of efforts than an aligned strategy. Even the category with the most products (1.8) is substantial due to only one product from inside the bloc (Yerba Mate, from Argentina) and a significant participation of a product from outside the bloc (Aceto Balsamico di Modena, from Italy). Moreover, over 40% of GIs found are European cheeses.
