Fake goods again!
07 January 2020
He topic of brand exploitation, fake goods and replica trade has come up a time or two in our blogs and newsletters.
See our example laden blog and newsletter discussion about international protection and territories.
The following article by The Independent makes for interesting further reading and explores the case for businesses getting tougher on deliberate replication of their brands and products.
The concluding comment by Prada representative Patrizio Bertelli sums up the pragmatic balance that many businesses are taking when he states that : "Fake goods aren't totally bad; at least [the trade in them] created jobs at some counterfeit factories. We don't want to be a brand that nobody wants to copy."
We notice that Doncaster Council takes a health and safety approach to discouraging the production of fake goods by emphasising that such goods (particularly fake cigarette lighters and phone chargers) can cause fires:
See https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/business-investment/fake-goods-and-intellectual-property-crime
The Shared Regulatory Services offer a reporting system where you are given guidelines for checking authenticity and online reporting form.
The UK government offers this overview: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ip-crime-and-enforcement-for-consumers/ip-crime-and-enforcement-for-consumers
If you are concerned about protecting your products or brand then please do get in touch as we can offer great advice and help you find the appropriate level of protection.
