Counterfeit goods are fake items deliberately made to look genuine. The issue of their prevalence within the luxury brand industry is well-documented, less well-known is the significant amount of counterfeits within the toy and nursery sector.
European Union (EU) statistics show that toys are one of the top categories of counterfeit products seized by EU customs. Many pass through customs and enter the EU market, ending up in store, on marketplaces, at fairs and car-boot sales. Many more are available online, on websites and well-known online market places. Aside from the disappointment generated by a poor imitation of a much wanted toy, these items can be extremely dangerous.
How to spot the difference…
Justifiably, quality genuine articles are thoroughly tested (at great cost), but such checks ensure the toy is legal and can cause no harm, delivering safety and confidence within the price tag. Counterfeits, on the other hand, often don’t comply with even basic standards, presenting alarming safety hazards to children. Small, sharp and poorly fixed parts fall off and become choking hazards; low quality paints and glues are often toxic; and poor electrical wiring can lead to electric shocks – just a few common dangers encountered with counterfeit toys. Furthermore, as well as being unsafe, once damaged or broken, there is little hope of recovering your money or replacing the item in question, counterfeit goods are not protected by any warranty.
Check out the SnapDragon Guide to avoiding purchasing counterfeit goods online here.
Still not sure?
If you are unsure about the authenticity of a product, report it; to the seller, the store from which it was purchased and the brand owner. Brand owners work hard to develop safe products and they are seeing their reputations damaged and revenues stolen as a result of this problem. Any information that you can provide them with will be invaluable in their fight against counterfeiting. The Citizens Advice consumer helpline or your local Trading Standards office will be able to provide you with helpful advice and organisations such as Action Fraudand are always interested in such matters.
If you are interested in knowing more about counterfeiting, please feel free to contact us – the.lair@snapdragon-ip.com.
SnapDragon Monitoring Ltd works with leading brands to help tackle the sale of counterfeit goods. We monitor the internet for the sale of products that could be putting the health and safety of children and babies at risk.
