SECURITY FEATURES FOR PACKAGING
faking it! We all know, it’s best to stay away from fake products but sometimes, it’s unavoidable or consumers are unaware. With time, fake products turn inferior and often leave disastrous consequences in their wake. P C Review looks at how packaging is used to prevent counterfeiting in the pharma and personal care industries.
C
ounterfeit products lack
trusted brands, by making substantially
counterfeiters, Traceability Solutions
the quality, research,
cheaper versions available for purchase
confirms its clients in the cosmetics
development and rigorous
from unauthorised dealers via ‘black’ or
and pharma industries are dedicating
safety testing brand owners
‘grey’ markets’. As a result, pharma and
tremendous resources to protect their
have invested in their products. Because
cosmetics companies are organising
product and brand integrity.
they are fake, they’re sold at prices much
more anti-counterfeit programmes and
less than original brand versions.
are investing more in these efforts than
counterfeiting measures such as
ever before.
holograms, watermarks and radio-
Imitation cosmetics and counterfeit pharmaceuticals can be found through
Estée Lauder Companies employs
a variety of channels worldwide,
42 full-time security agents worldwide to
including unauthorised internet sites, flea
infiltrate markets, make test purchases
markets, street vendors and individuals.
and coordinate with regional law
Consumers may easily encounter
enforcement to root out counterfeiters.
a counterfeit product that appears
L’Oréal, which owns prestige brands like
genuine yet it’s not.
Yves Saint Laurent and Urban Decay, sued eBay in five European countries
A global problem
after eBay failed to satisfy its concerns
Between January 2004 and September
over counterfeit sales.
By employing state of the art, anti-
frequency identification (RFID) chips,
Beauty and healthcare brands are willing to spend big money on protecting the integrity of their brands
2017, close to 12 000 cases related
Union Swiss, the brand owner of Bio-
to counterfeit cosmetics alone were
Oil, has implemented serialisation and
reported to the FDA’s Adverse Event
track and trace on Bio-Oil cartons to fight
they’re making it as difficult as
Reporting System. While most events
counterfeiting of the brand. A unique
possible for counterfeiters
resulted in short lived symptoms that
multi-digit number is printed onto each
to succeed.
ranged from eye infections or allergic
carton to be used for track and trace as
reactions, 18 cases resulted in death.
well as product authenticity.
Researching the growing global
‘We have seen an increase in the demand for our services in this
problem of counterfeiting, Duane
Tech to protect brand identity
regard. Top managers
Morris Law firm wrote on its blog
‘It makes sense that large beauty and
are realising the real
Counterfeit Cosmetics: Fake Beauty,
healthcare brands are willing to spend
threat piracy holds
Real Danger: ‘the damage caused by
big money on protecting the integrity
for their products and
counterfeit products is substantial. By
of their brands. Counterfeiters are no
are willing to commit the
misappropriating valuable trademarks,
longer small, backyard operators, but
necessary resources to fight
counterfeiters deprive brand owners
have evolved into huge manufacturing
it. Our solutions give clients
of the revenue to which they are
capacities – sometimes even bigger than
brand protection, accountability,
entitled after years, and often billions
original brand producers,’ says Cathy
authentication, traceability and
of dollars spent on product research
Adendorff of Traceability Solutions.
many more vitally important business
and development. Counterfeits also diminish the goodwill associated with
44 | JUNE 2019 | P C Review
In an effort to combat the increase in sophistication employed by
requirements. From basic handheld marking tools to the most sophisticated
