UK launches “Choose Safe not Fake” campaign to combat counterfeit beauty and hygiene products

01 Mar 2024 --- The UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) steps up efforts to combat the growing market for counterfeit beauty and hygiene products with its latest campaign, “Choose Safe Not Fake.” The project supports the IPO’s mission to raise public awareness of and respect for intellectual property (IP) rights. 

“Through our new, highly focused campaign, we are delivering a very clear message — that the serious risks to health these counterfeit goods pose can never amount to a ‘good deal’ for shoppers,” says Adam Williams, IPO chief executive and comptroller.

Research conducted by the IPO revealed a lack of awareness among consumers regarding the risks of using counterfeit items. The IPO claims that many people are unaware of the possible health risks associated with these counterfeit goods because they believe they are made in the same way as their real-life counterparts.

Hidden safety risks
Enforcement activities involve seizing counterfeit products. According to the IPO, photos taken during these operations show the hidden risks associated with fake hygiene and cosmetic products. 

Hazardous heavy metals and carcinogenic substances were discovered in laboratory testing on the seized goods.Hazardous heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury and carcinogenic substances like beryllium oxide were discovered in laboratory testing on the seized goods. Samples also included unhygienic materials like horse dung and rodent urine, exposing the hazardous manufacturing conditions of these knockoff products.

Phil Lewis, director general of Anti-Counterfeiting Group, says: “The Anti-Counterfeiting Group welcomes and supports the IPO’s latest consumer awareness campaign. Counterfeiting is a huge contributor to the international fraud scene, and criminals involved have only one thing in mind — money.”

ACG collaborates with law enforcement organizations in the UK, EU, and other countries to prevent counterfeiting and shield consumers and businesses from the growing threats.

“The fakers of respected perfume, toiletry and beauty products are part of this and have no regard for consumer safety,” he adds.

Advertisement awareness
The campaign uses “aesthetics of archetypal beauty” advertisements to convey the seriousness of these findings. 

The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of the dangerous ingredients that are present in counterfeit goods through influencers, press coverage and targeted social media advertising. The aim is to enable customers to make knowledgeable decisions regarding the cosmetics and personal care products they buy.

“Shining a light on the significant personal harms counterfeit beauty and hygiene products can cause, this campaign uses audience insight to target specific consumer groups through various media channels and aims to reduce their appetite for these goods. As we continue to work with our partners to tackle the threat of IP crime and infringement, activities to disrupt the supply and reduce demand for counterfeits form complementary elements to our approach,” says Williams.

Five-year strategy
The campaign is a component of the IPO’s broader five-year counter-infringement strategy. 

“Our counter-infringement strategy sets out the path ahead as we work together toward the long-term goal of making IP crime and infringement unacceptable to all. Campaigns like this are an important starting point in this direction, but we all have more work to tackle this threat effectively. Our industry partners are a powerful and persuasive voice, and brand owners can play a vital role in helping to educate and empower the public,” comments Williams.The campaign is a component of the IPO’s broader five-year counter-infringement strategy.

Lewis adds: “We all have a role to play in protecting the public from this threat, and it is important to expose the reality of how criminals operate. We have witnessed counterfeiters using toxic ingredients blended in industrial machines such as cement mixers.”

“There are also widely circulating myths that fakes are genuine items that have come ‘from the same factory.’ Moreover, the same people will use online sales to gain access to buyer identities and banking details, which are then used by global fraudsters.”

He says that the straightforward advice for customers is to “choose safe and wisely” and to “think twice” before acting on a deal and giving con artists and swindlers your hard-earned money.

In the EU, recent data from the European Union Intellectual Property Office revealed the cosmetics industry lost €3 billion (US$3.2 billion) and about 32,000 jobs due to counterfeit products between 2018 and 2022.

Christmas counterfeit
In December, the UK Border Force seized counterfeit electrical goods worth over £170,000 (US$214,669) amid Black Friday and Christmas. Operation Rivean ran for three weeks from November 20 and targeted goods shipped into the UK.Border Force found 50 counterfeit Dyson-branded hair care products.

During the operation, Border Force found 50 counterfeit Dyson-branded hair care products, including Supersonic hair dryers and Airwrap multi-stylers, which would have a retail value of more than £98,000 (US$123,749), were they genuine, says the government.

Additionally, 120 GHD-branded counterfeit hair styling tools worth £31,980 (US$40,391) and 640 hair straighteners were discovered. The unbranded hair straighteners also posed a safety risk, as the officers found they did not fulfill the UK’s health and safety laws and standards. The IPO estimates that 98% of fake electrical products do not pass product safety testing.

“We are determined to crack down on the illegal trade of counterfeit goods and the criminals that drive it,” said Tom Pursglove MP, minister for Legal Migration and Delivery. “Counterfeit goods fund serious crime, endanger customers, harm legitimate businesses and contribute to the loss of tens of thousands of British jobs yearly.”

Furthermore, the officers found 8,880 fake Oral B and Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush heads worth over £42,000 (US$53,058).

Miles Rees, deputy director of IP Enforcement at the IPO, added: “The sale of counterfeit goods is anything but a victimless crime. It has been estimated to contribute to over 80,000 job losses a year in the UK, diverting funds away from legitimate traders and into the hands of criminals.”

By Venya Patel