£360million spent on fake Christmas goods

Shoppers across the UK are being warned not to fall victim to buying fake goods over the Christmas period, with millions of of us looking to bag a festive bargain.

In December 2015, over £360m was spent on counterfeit goods in the UK, according to online brand protection site NetNames.

Very often, a good indicator as to whether or not a product is  fake or not is the price.  If a branded item is on offer on one website and it is much cheaper than a similar product in other stores,  it probably isn’t genuine.

Many branded products come with a serial number that can be checked to determine if they are real. Some high end branded goods also come with certificatation. Beware however  that it is also possible for trademark infringers to imitate this.

Sadly it is not always as simple as identifying faulty packaging or altered branding because this can be copied as well. 

If you are familiar with a brand, keep an eye out for any  suspicious signs, such as logo or image inconsistencies.

Shopping in well-established high street stores should ensure that you avoid buying counterfeit  items. If you buy from Amazon, buy directly from the Amazon warehouse rather than independent sellers, unless there is significant proof of authenticity.

If you still want to shop online but you are worried about a product’s authenticity, it is usually possible to go direct to the official brand website to make your purchase.

Verimaster  anti-counterfeit technology offers a fail-safe solution to brand protection and product verification. 

Invisible to the naked eye and lasting the lifetime the product, Verimaster secures brand integrity through the recognition of authentic products and the instant detection of fakes.

Click here for more information.

*Please note that Addmaster was acquired by the Polygiene Group AB in January 2021, so all news articles prior to that date will still be branded as Addmaster.