Trading Standards Supports World Anti-Counterfeiting Day
8th June 2016
June 8th is World Anti-Counterfeiting Day 2016 and Trading Standards are warning Highland consumers to beware of buying bogus imitation products. The theme for this year's event is "Fakes in the sports industries", to coincide with the EURO 2016 football.
Trading Standards Team Leader David MacKenzie explained: “We regularly receive consumer complaints from residents in the Highlands who unwittingly buy counterfeit and mis-described goods. Consumers are entitled to expect that the goods they buy are of the quality associated with the named brand. They should not receive shoddy copies."
And it is not just the individual buyers who are losing out through the sale of fakes. A recent study found that £390 million is lost to the legitimate trade across Europe every year as a result of fake sports equipment alone (i.e. excluding sports clothing), such as footballs, sports helmets, tennis rackets, gym equipment, skateboards, golf clubs etc. This is estimated to cause the loss of 2,800 jobs per year, resulting in losses of £115 million in Government tax revenues. In the UK alone, the manufacture of counterfeit sports equipment costs the sector £39 million a year.
Highland Council Trading Standards have been very active lately in combatting the supply of fake goods in the Highlands. A number of significant investigations have been carried out into the supply of a wide range of products including clothing, luxury goods, jewellery, footwear, electrical goods, jewellery, alcohol and tobacco. These items are sold in a wide variety of ways, through websites, social media networks and in workplaces. The investigations have resulted in successful prosecutions and several other formal outcomes.
On the Highland Council website there is an online form which members of the public can use to pass on information about fake goods.
David MacKenzie said: “The online form is simple and easy to use. You can provide as much or as little information as you like, remain anonymous or give us your details. Any relevant information is of interest to us, however basic it may seem.
“We want to send a strong message to anyone considering engaging in this illegal trade that we will take whatever action in necessary to prevent consumers and businesses losing out. Sellers of fake goods cheat consumers, undermine legitimate businesses and threaten jobs.”
The online form for reporting information about fake goods can be found at: www.highland.gov.uk/counterfeits
Consumers can check whether a website or other supplier of branded goods is genuine by using the simple tool on the Brand-i website at www.brand-i.org/ General advice on avoiding fake goods is available from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group at www.a-cg.org/
Further information on World Anti-Counterfeiting Day is at: www.gacg.org/
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Households across Scotland have received £4.1 billion in relief since the Council Tax Reduction scheme was introduced in 2013. People on low incomes are eligible for the benefit if they live in Scotland - there is no equivalent in England where most councils require each household to contribute a minimum amount of council tax, irrespective of ability to do so.
The Highland Council is preparing to carry out improvement works in Thurso at Ormlie Road and at The Mall riverside path adjacent to Janet Street. The scope of works on Ormlie Road will include junction improvements between Castlegreen Road and Juniper Drive with new drop kerbs and tactile paving and some surface repairs.
A Highland-wide partnership launched earlier in 2024 to support people on their journey towards, into and within employment is looking forward to a New Year in 2025 full of exciting opportunities designed to help hundreds more people across the Highlands unlock their work potential. Work.
The Highland Council is delighted to share that its Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme has won the Outstanding Project Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards. Described by Scottish Renewables as a "pioneering clean power scheme", this £7 million project demonstrates the incredible impact that can be achieved through combined public and private sector investment.
The ambitious yet focused ‘Highland Investment Plan' is committed to addressing our asset challenges over the next twenty years. By using a place based approach, to ensure a more integrated community offering through the creation of new community facilities.
Applications to the Inverness Winter Payments Scheme, which is fully funded by the Inverness Common Fund, have already been awarded to 1,035 eligible households within the 7 specified Inverness Wards. Leader of Inverness Area, Councillor Ian Brown said: "Since the Scheme was opened to applications for this winter, already £114,885 has been awarded to people who live in the eligible Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South Wards.
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses. The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West - The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
