A hologram trade body wants organisations to urgently review and redouble security plans to try to stem what it terms the ‘tidal wave’ of counterfeit goods flooding out of China. That’s the message from the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), which was commenting on a new US Chamber of Commerce report, that says over four fifths (86pc) of all counterfeit goods now come from China.
According to the Global IP Centre’s The Measuring the Magnitude of Global Counterfeiting report, customs authorities are only seizing 2.5pc of the value of total estimated counterfeits. Global impact studies by the International Chamber of Commerce indicate that the upper bound of the global value of counterfeit and pirated could be $1.77 trillion.
These also indicate that international trade accounts for more than half of counterfeiting and global brand piracy is worth as much as $960 billion.
The US report is a reminder says the IHMA that the war on counterfeiting remains far from won, says the IHMA, and is a wake-up call for those desperate to protect brands and profits around the world.
Dr Mark Deakes, the IHMA’s General Secretary, pictured, says: “More action needs to be taken quickly if the tidal wave of Chinese counterfeit goods flooding onto the market is ever to be checked, let alone stopped. Brand owners and those authorities responsible for legislation are sure to be alarmed at this report.
“More needs to be done – and quickly – to begin to deal with the problem and this might include increased integration of holograms as part of brand protection strategies.”
Increasing adoption of holography in places like India and east Europe reinforces the hologram’s position as a pre-eminent security feature in the anti-counterfeiting fight, according to the IHMA. Security holograms on items like liquor bottles will ensure quality and check smuggled and illicit liquor while bottles not displaying security holograms will be seized and destroyed.
Deakes adds: “Holography has a key role as a highly effective, highly flexible weapon in the ongoing battle to thwart counterfeiters and fraudsters. All involved in the supply chain – manufacturers, distributors, consumers, tax authorities – will be reassured by the presence of holograms on products and recognise the benefits they provide.”
The use of well-designed and properly deployed authentication solutions, as advocated in ISO’s 12931 standard, on authentication solutions, enables examiners to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from the counterfeits coming out of China.
Even those that carry a “fake” authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if that item carries a carefully thought-out authentication solution.
