On March 19, the Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association is holding a webinar on Anti-Counterfeiting & Brand Protection. Here's why you should think about attending that discussion.
Between December 2013 and January 2014, Europol and Interpol swept through 33 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas looking for fake products.
During the undertaking called Opson 111, authorities seized 430,000 litres of counterfeit drinks and 1,200 tonnes of fake, or substandard food.
The fakes spread across almost every category of produce. More than 131,000 litres of oil and vinegar, more than 80,000 biscuits and chocolate bars, 20 tonnes of spices and condiments, 186 tonnes of cereals, 45 tonnes of dairy products and 42 litres of honey were seized.
Fish and seafood was the largest category of foodstuffs with 685 tonnes of product siezed because it was inappropriately packed and labelled for preservation. 485,000 kgs of yellow fin tuna were found to have inadequate traceability documents.
"Most people would be surprised at the everyday foods and drink which are being counterfeited, and the volume of seizures shows that this is a serious global problem," said Michael Ellis, head of Interpol's Trafficking in Illicit Goods and Counterfeiting unit, which coordinated activities between the world police body's participating countries across the globe.
In Italy, an organised crime network behind the manufacture and distribution of fake champagne was discovered. Material, including fake labels, to prepare 60,000 bottles were seized at two sites, with three people arrested and 24 others reported to authorities.
In Spain, 24 people were detained for illegal work and immigration offences after 4.5 tonnes of snails illegally taken from woods and fields were recovered.
In Bangkok, more than 270 bottles of fake whiskey were seized, as well as forged stickers, labels and packaging.
In the Philippines, nearly 150,000 fake stock cubes were discovered.
The AIPIA webinar will feature contributions from AIPIA managing director, Eef de Ferrante, and leading exponents of the latest anti-counterfeiting developments. It includes a brand owners' perspective about how they are tackling the problem.
