# Italian Sub-Lexicon: Consumer / Retail

Italian-to-English mappings extracted from consumer-retail.md. These terms are Italy-specific
and should be mapped to universal English terms in the main lexicon rather than appearing
in consumer-facing English contracts.

## Italian Consumer Code and Directives

| Italian term | English equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| D.Lgs. 206/2005 | Italian Consumer Code | Legislative Decree implementing EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU and related EU directives |
| clausola vessatoria | unfair term | Article 33 et seq. of Italian Consumer Code; see Unfair Contract Terms Directive 93/13/EEC |
| clausole abusive | unfair terms | Broader category of terms contrary to good faith in Italian consumer law |
| diritto di recesso | right of withdrawal / cooling-off right | Articles 50-67 Italian Consumer Code; 14-day period for distance/off-premises contracts |
| garanzia legale di conformità | statutory guarantee of conformity | Articles 128-135 Italian Consumer Code; aligned with EU Consumer Sales Directive 2019/771/EU |

## Italian Contract Types and Supply Arrangements

| Italian term | English equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| contratto di somministrazione | framework supply agreement | Articles 1559-1570 Italian Civil Code; periodic supply contract; best rendered as "framework supply agreement" rather than literal "supply contract" |
| somministrazione | framework supply arrangement | Generic reference to somministrazione contract type |
| ordine di acquisto | purchase order | Generic commercial term, no specific Italian legal definition |
| conferma d'ordine | order confirmation | Acceptance of purchase order by supplier |
| listino prezzi | price list | Standard commercial document |
| sconto / ribasso | discount | Reduction from standard price; "ribasso" may refer to public procurement bid reduction |
| prezzo al dettaglio / al consumatore | retail price | Price charged to final consumer |
| prezzo all'ingrosso | wholesale price | Price for bulk purchase for resale |
| margine commerciale | commercial margin | Gross profit from sale (purchase price to selling price) |
| ricarico | mark-up | Method of calculating selling price by adding percentage to cost |

## Franchise Terms (Italian-specific context)

| Italian term | English equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| affiliante / franchisor | franchisor | Party granting franchise rights (Italian uses both terms) |
| affiliato / franchisee | franchisee | Party receiving franchise rights |
| fee d'ingresso | initial franchise fee / entry fee | Upfront payment for franchise rights and training |
| royalty / canone periodico | royalty | Ongoing periodic payment; Italian uses both terms interchangeably |
| canone di pubblicità | advertising fee / marketing contribution | Contribution to collective marketing/advertising fund |
| marchio / insegna | trade mark / brand | Italian distinguishes "marchio" (registered mark) and "insegna" (business sign/brand) |
| format commerciale | business format | Complete system, method, and brand of franchise operation |
| approvvigionamento centralizzato | centralised procurement | Central purchasing arrangement for franchise system |

## Distribution and Supply Chain Terms

| Italian term | English equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| distributore | distributor | Entity in supply chain reselling to retailers or further distributors |
| agente / agente di commercio | commercial agent | EU Directive 86/653/EEC applies to Italian "agenti di commercio"; specific legal status |
| rappresentante | representative | Generic term for person/entity acting for another; may include employees |
| concessionario | dealer / concessionaire | Exclusive territory distributor |
| grossista | wholesaler | Bulk purchaser for resale |
| dettagliante | retailer | Direct seller to consumers |
| catena di distribuzione | distribution chain / supply chain | Sequence of entities from manufacturer to consumer |
| prodotto | product / goods | Generic term for items subject to sale |
| merce / merci | goods | Alternative term for products; "merci" is plural |
| campione / campionatura | sample | Specimen of goods |
| scorte / magazzino | stock / inventory | Goods held for sale |
| quantitativo minimo d'ordine | minimum order quantity (MOQ) | Lowest quantity buyer must purchase in single order |
| lead time / tempo di consegna | lead time / delivery time | Period from order to delivery; Italian accepts "lead time" as standard term |
| spedizione | shipment | Goods transported under single order |

## Delivery and Incoterms

| Italian term | English equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| resa | delivery terms | General term for conditions of goods delivery |
| Incoterms | Incoterms | ICC standardised terms; kept in English in all contexts |
| franco fabbrica | EXW (ex works) | Seller delivers goods at factory; buyer arranges transport and bears risk |
| franco destino / DAP | DAP (delivered at place) | Seller bears transport cost/risk to named place |
| porto assegnato | freight collect | Buyer pays transport (older term; modern Incoterms 2020 equivalent is DAP) |
| porto franco | freight prepaid / carriage paid | Seller pays transport cost |
| difetto di conformità | lack of conformity / non-conformity | Consumer Sales Directive 2019/771/EU standard; Italian law implements as "conformità" |
| vizio / difetto | defect | Physical or functional flaw |
| vizio occulto | latent defect | Hidden defect not discoverable at sale |
| vizio apparente | apparent defect | Visible defect discoverable by reasonable inspection |
| denuncia dei vizi | notice of defects | Formal notification of non-conformity within statutory period |

## Consumer Protection (Italian legislative references)

| Italian term | English equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| periodo di ripensamento | cooling-off period | Statutory 14-day period; specifically "periodo di ripensamento" in Italian law |
| garanzia commerciale / garanzia convenzionale | commercial warranty | Voluntary promise beyond statutory guarantee |
| responsabilità del produttore | product liability | Manufacturer/seller liability for defective products |
| richiamo del prodotto | product recall | Removal of defective product from market |
| avviso di sicurezza | safety notice | Public notification of safety hazard |
| pratiche commerciali scorrette | unfair commercial practices | Article 18 et seq. Italian Consumer Code (UCPD 2005/29/EC) |
| pubblicità ingannevole | misleading advertising | False/deceptive advertising affecting purchasing decision |
| vendita a distanza | distance selling | Sale without simultaneous physical presence |
| contratto a distanza | distance contract | Contract via distance communication means |
| contratto fuori dei locali commerciali | off-premises contract | Contract concluded away from business premises |
| informativa precontrattuale | pre-contractual information | Mandatory information before distance/off-premises contract commitment |
| modulo di recesso | withdrawal form | Standard form for exercising withdrawal right |
| rimborso | refund | Return of money for cancelled goods/services |
| sostituzione | replacement | Supply of conforming goods in place of non-conforming |
| riparazione | repair | Restoring defective goods to conforming state |

## Section Headings (Italian source)

| Italian source | English equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OGGETTO DEL CONTRATTO | SUBJECT MATTER | Standard Italian contract heading |
| TERRITORIO ED ESCLUSIVA | TERRITORY AND EXCLUSIVITY | Distribution and franchise exclusive rights |
| OBBLIGHI DEL DISTRIBUTORE | DISTRIBUTOR'S OBLIGATIONS | Duties of distributor to franchisor/supplier |
| OBBLIGHI DEL FORNITORE | SUPPLIER'S OBLIGATIONS | Duties of supplier to distributor/franchisee |
| PREZZI E CONDIZIONI DI PAGAMENTO | PRICES AND PAYMENT TERMS | Pricing structure and payment arrangements |
| CONSEGNA E TRASPORTO | DELIVERY AND TRANSPORT | Incoterms and transport responsibility |
| GARANZIA E RESPONSABILITÀ | WARRANTY AND LIABILITY | Product warranty and liability allocation |
| PROPRIETÀ INTELLETTUALE | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY | IP rights in trade marks, know-how, design |
| NON CONCORRENZA | NON-COMPETE | Non-compete clause during/after contract |
| DURATA E RISOLUZIONE | TERM AND TERMINATION | Contract duration and termination provisions |
| CLAUSOLA RISOLUTIVA ESPRESSA | EXPRESS TERMINATION CLAUSE | Automatic termination on occurrence of specified event (Italian Civil Code concept) |

## Key Translation Notes

- **"Somministrazione"** (Articles 1559-1570 Italian Civil Code): Distinct Italian contract type for periodic
  supply. Not "supply contract" but "framework supply agreement" to capture legal nature (ongoing, periodic,
  pre-established terms apply to all deliveries).

- **"Agente di commercio"**: Specific role under Italian law and EU Directive 86/653/EEC. Governed by commercial
  agency law with mandatory provisions on notice, commission, and compensation. Not interchangeable with
  "representative" or "distributor".

- **"Clausola vessatoria"**: Article 33 Italian Consumer Code defines unfair terms under Directive 93/13/EEC.
  Translation as "unfair term" preserves legal meaning; "onerous clause" or "burdensome clause" are incorrect.

- **"D.Lgs. 206/2005"** (Italian Consumer Code): Unified legislative decree implementing multiple EU directives
  (Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, Consumer Sales Directive 2019/771/EU, UCPD 2005/29/EC, etc.). Reference
  EU directives in English rather than translating Italian legislative references literally.

- **"Diritto di recesso"**: 14-day cooling-off right for distance (Articles 50-67) and off-premises contracts
  (Articles 64-67). Mandatory right; cannot be waived. Implement specific timeline in translation.

- **"Garanzia legale di conformità"**: Articles 128-135 Italian Consumer Code provide 2-year guarantee goods conform
  to contract. Statutory right; cannot be excluded. Implements EU Consumer Sales Directive 2019/771/EU.

- **Incoterms**: Keep abbreviations (EXW, DAP, DDP, etc.) in English. Italian uses both Incoterms abbreviations and
  descriptive terms ("franco fabbrica", "franco destino"). Always preserve Incoterms standard on translation.

- **"Vizio occulto" vs "vizio apparente"**: Italian law distinguishes hidden vs visible defects with different
  notice requirements. "Latent defect" (hidden from reasonable inspection) vs "apparent defect" (visible to
  reasonable inspection) preserves distinction.

## Additional Lawlinguists-validated Italian Consumer/Retail Mappings

| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| consumatore | consumer (Art. 3 Codice del Consumo — natural person acting for purposes outside trade, business, craft or profession) |
| professionista | trader / professional (Art. 3 Codice del Consumo — the commercial counterparty to a consumer) |
| utente | user (consumer of services) |
| bene di consumo | consumer good |
| servizio | service |
| contratto di consumo | consumer contract |
| contratto negoziato fuori dei locali commerciali | off-premises contract |
| diritto di recesso del consumatore | consumer right of withdrawal / cooling-off right (14-day period) |
| pratica commerciale scorretta | unfair commercial practice (Arts. 18-27-quater Codice del Consumo — implementing Directive 2005/29/EC) |
| pratica commerciale ingannevole | misleading commercial practice |
| pratica commerciale aggressiva | aggressive commercial practice |
| pubblicità comparativa | comparative advertising |
| etichettatura | labelling |
| indicazioni obbligatorie | mandatory indications |
| prodotto difettoso | defective product (liability under Arts. 114-127 Codice del Consumo, implementing Directive 85/374/EEC) |
| sicurezza dei prodotti | product safety (Arts. 102-113 Codice del Consumo; EU Regulation 2023/988 GPSR from December 2024) |
| richiamo di prodotti | product recall |
| AGCM (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato) | Italian Competition Authority (Antitrust / ICA) |
| Codice del Consumo (Decreto Legislativo 206/2005) | Consumer Code |
| azione di classe | class action (Art. 140-bis Codice del Consumo; new regime Art. 840-bis CPC from 2021) |
| azione inibitoria collettiva | collective injunction action |
| affiliazione commerciale / franchising | franchising / franchise (Law 129/2004) |
| affiliante | franchisor |
| affiliato | franchisee |
| know-how commerciale | commercial know-how |
| diritto di entrata | entry fee / initial franchise fee |
| royalty (canone periodico) | running royalty / periodic franchise fee |
| concessione di vendita | sales concession / distribution agreement |
| agente di commercio | commercial agent (Law 204/1985 implementing Directive 86/653/EEC) |
| indennità di fine rapporto dell'agente | agent's goodwill indemnity / termination compensation |
| mediatore | broker / intermediary (Art. 1754 CC) |
| procacciatore d'affari | business introducer (distinct from agency — no stable relationship) |
