At Least 11% of Russian Dairy Products Counterfeit in 2015
Up to 11 percent of all dairy products in Russia were found to be counterfeit by the country’s agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor in 2015, the TASS news agency reported Monday.
However, in some cases up to 50 percent of certain categories of dairy products were found to be counterfeit, Rosselkhoznadzor head Sergei Dankvert said, TASS reported.The higher the fat content, the higher the chance that the product is counterfeit, according to Dankvert.
Cheese and sour cream are the products which are most often counterfeit, according to Rosselkhoznadzor.
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Counterfeiters target silver bullion products of multiple manufacturers
Manufacturers in China continue counterfeiting genuine bullion products, primarily of U.S. companies, causing financial headaches both for the makers of the genuine pieces and for the fakes’ secondary market buyers who are unaware of the bogus pieces.
More than a half dozen U.S. makers of 1-ounce silver bars and rounds have been targeted repeatedly by counterfeiters, with the knock-offs offered for sale on the individual websites of the Chinese distributors and manufacturers, as well as Alibaba.com, an international trade site headquartered in China.
Moreover, a Staten Island, N.Y., coin dealer reports he was recently duped into buying 225 counterfeit pieces, bars and rounds that are composed of silver plate over brass or a zinc alloy. The alleged seller is identified as being sought by authorities in Gloucester County, N.J., for bilking two New Jersey dealers with similar counterfeit bullion products.
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Poundstretcher sued for ‘selling fake bottles of Head & Shoulders’ as big brands launch fight against ‘copycat’ discounters
The brand behind Head & Shoulders is suing Poundstretcher over claims the budget retailer has been selling counterfeit shampoo and conditioner.
Procter & Gamble filed a High Court action against the shop, accusing them of infringing its trademark by selling bogus versions of the haircare products between 2013 and 2014.
The U.S company is also taking action against two wholesalers, Home and Beauty and J&S Brands, over the same allegations.
It is the latest in a string of court actions which leading brands have taken against high street traders and supermarkets in a bid to ward off trademark infringement.
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Illegal smuggling of tobacco products goes on unabated
The Vizianagaram district, which is just adjacent to Odisha and close to Chhattisgarh states, is becoming a hub of illegal business of tobacco products like gutkha and arrack. Lack of proper vigilance by excise, police, and other government agencies have become beneficial for traders of North Andhra region who are tactfully transporting various products through check posts, and also in other ways too.
Vizianagaram has one interstate check-post at Kuneru in Komarada and another at Sunki in Salurmandal. These are the border points to enter the State from Odisha, and the commercial tax, excise and other staff should check every vehicle but the staff stationed here is being manipulated by the traders of Parvathipuram, Vizianagaram, Salur and bringing the products, which are banned in the State.
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U agreements to fight cigarette smuggling
An idea regarding an upcoming European Parliament meeting. MEPs will quiz the Commission on the four agreements currently in force between the EU and Philip Morris International (PMI), Japan Tobacco International (JTI), Imperial Tobacco Limited (ITL) and British American Tobacco (BAT) to fight cigarette smuggling. Members will ask for an assessment, including the possible financial implications, and will question whether these agreements should be prolonged. The agreement with PMI is due to expire in July 2016.
We can attend the Parliament meeting and get all the details. Is it likely that MEPs will extend the agreement? If it is, and if it is not, how will this affect the European tobacco industry?
http://www.internationalnewsservices.com/stories-for-sale/38224-2
Lear MoreThailand Tobacco Monopoly to award authorities for cracking down on illegal cigarettes
The smuggling of cigarettes has reportedly been on the rise, following the excise tax hike.
The news has prompted Thailand Tobacco Monopoly (TTM) to announce its plan to crack down on the illegal cigarette sales. TTM Director DaonoiSuthinipapan said that a total of 10 million baht has been set aside to award government officials, police, and soldiers who have successfully arrested cigarette smugglers.Under the TTM incentive program, A pack of illegal cigarettes is worth three baht in reward money. Authorities can earn 1,000 baht for every 500 packs confiscated. The TTM will also pay an additional 50,000 baht for 25,000 packs found.
Man tried to sell £10,000 of fake goods from his car in A90 lay-by
A man has been fined after he was caught trying to sell almost £10,000 worth of fake designer products – in a north-east lay-by.Terence Crook appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday to be sentenced having previously admitted trying to cash in on the counterfeit goods.
The 54-year-old had taken a wide selection of products – including watches, headphones, speakers and designer T-shirts – home from abroad, and decided to try to sell them on to make a profit.
Lawsuit Accuses Walmart of Defrauding Shoppers with Fake Parmesan
Common sense would dictate the discovery of wood pulp in cheap Parmesan can’t end well for those on the retail side, and lo and behold, it has not: Following the revelation that retailers have started pulling discredited cheeses from stores, Walmart is now facing a class-action lawsuit over the supposedly “100% Grated Parmesan Cheese” sold under its house brand, Great Value. The shopper who filed the suit says he wouldn’t have bought the product if he’d known its actual cheese-to-wood ratio.
http://www.grubstreet.com/2016/02/walmart-cheese-lawsuit.html
Lear MoreThinfilm partners with SmartSign to combat counterfeit products in Vietnam
ThinFilm Electronics has partnered with digital security products provider SmartSign to combat counterfeit products in Vietnam by delivering product authentication and consumer engagement capabilities to brand owners and government agencies.
The firms will use Thinfilm’s NFC OpenSense sensor tag technology to help address counterfeiting of products including wine and spirits, tobacco, and home health products in the Vietnamese markets.
Initially, the partners will focusing on the wine market in the wine/spirits segment by delivering the next-generation anti-counterfeiting NFC solution throughout the country.
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Interpipe registers trademark in UAE to combat counterfeiting
The Ukrainian steel-pipe manufacturer Interpipe has officially registered its trademark with the UAE Ministry of Economy, citing the need to combat counterfeiting in the region.
The company said in a press release that counterfeiting is a significant challenge, and that the registration represents its first step in its fight against fake products.
The GCC region accounts for over 16 percent of Interpipe’s global sales and the company has supplied steel pipes to the UAE market for more than 10 years. Among Interpipe’s key projects in the region are the King Abdulaziz International Airport and the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in KSA, the Mall of Qatar and the State Audit Bureau Headquarters in Qatar, as well as various residential and commercial buildings in the UAE.