Three victories in court are not enough. The mineral water giant San Benedetto is appealing The Food Factthe magazine specializing in nutrition and food safety, confirming the huge compensation request of 1.5 million euros. To cover the legal costs, the online newspaper is launching a crowdfundig on GoFundMe.
The story
The dispute, as reported, arose four years ago from an article on the controversial commercial for San Benedetto water with Elisabetta Canalis. The Institute of Advertising Self-Discipline (IAP) had raised criticism because the message suggested that water could replace breakfast, prompting the company to modify the video. The Food Fact announced it, triggering the industrial group’s judicial reaction.
The sentences and the disproportion
So far the judges have always agreed with the newspaper. The Court of Venice rejected the food giant’s claims, establishing with judge Lisa Micochero that the published analyzes fall within the legitimate right of journalistic criticism. Similar decisions unfavorable to San Benedetto have arrived in the proceedings against the Instagram page Soviet Aesthetics (here are the stages of the story).
However, the company continues the legal battle. The appeal will be held in Venice, with a hearing scheduled for 23 September 2026. San Benedetto is asking for 1.5 million euros in damages, the removal of the articles and the publication of the conviction in five national newspapers. “Facing colossal legal expenses to defend ourselves from compensation that alone is equivalent to ten years of our business risks suffocating us, regardless of the outcome of the sentences,” writes director Roberto La Pira.
Legal action and support
The clash highlights the weight of the so-called Slapp (gag suits), legal actions that risk stifling independent information through disproportionate financial demands. The gap is clear: The Food Fact It has an annual budget of around 150 thousand euros, while the San Benedetto group exceeds one billion euros in turnover.
The legal fees accumulated over four years of litigation erode the newspaper’s resources. The funds raised through GoFundMe will be used to cover the costs of the defense in appeal and to protect the continuity of the newspaper. The collection has already exceeded 14 thousand euros in just a few days.