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Anti-counterfeiting strategies and product authentication technologies – get the latest trends and developments in the security area here.

How Counterfeit-Proof Is Your Product?

See How Well Your Brand Is Protected against Tampering

Counterfeit goods cause sales losses of around USD 464 billion worldwide - each year! This is the conclusion of a joint study by the European Observatory on Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

However, product piracy not only concerns companies and brand owners - the consequences, in particular, affect many people. The authorities assume that around 671,000 people in the EU alone have recently lost their jobs due to product piracy. In addition, counterfeit products, which are often of inferior quality, frequently pose health risks for consumers - for example, due to the risk of fire, suffocation, or poisoning.


Rising Numbers as a Result of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated increase in online trade are also fueling the problem of product piracy, as impressively demonstrated by the German Customs’ figures from the 2021 customs annual statistics. They show that the value of confiscated counterfeits has risen continuously in Germany alone in recent years:

 

  • 2019: EUR 224.45 millionen
  • 2020: EUR 238.87 millionen
  • 2021: EUR 315.06 millionen

 

Against this backdrop, reliable protection against counterfeiting and manipulation is becoming increasingly important, as counterfeit products not only pose a risk to the health of consumers and mean a loss of revenue for companies, but they also damage the image of established brands. Have you ever wondered how tamper-proof your product is?


Just How Counterfeit-Proof Is Your Product?

By asking a few questions, you can get an initial idea of whether your own product or brand is reliably protected against tampering.

This is usually the case if your product...

  • ... is a luxury item that promises particularly high profits for counterfeiters
  • ... is well known as an established brand
  • ... has no security feature(s)
  • ... can be sold in particularly high quantities

Examples:

  • Hologram, watermark, guilloché

No? Then:

  • With a hologram, special color ink, or other overt security features, you can give your product sound basic protection against tampering.

Examples:

  • Infrared special colors and machine-readable codes

If not:

  • Hidden and forensic security features represent an additional hurdle for counterfeiters and thus increase the protection of your products against tampering.

Examples:

  • Nano-optical structures (OVD), DNA signature

Even if your product may only be targeted by counterfeiters at second glance, you should consider adding possible security features:

  • With a hologram, special color ink, or other overt security features, you can give your product sound basic protection against tampering
  • Hidden and forensic security features represent an additional hurdle for counterfeiters and thus increase the protection of your products against tampering

 

Overt, covert, and forensic security features can be linked to digital components. This means you can protect your products twice and benefit from reliable cryptographic encryption, for example. In addition, as a brand owner you receive additional evaluations of each scan and thus have the opportunity to actively detect counterfeiters.


Open, Concealed, Forensic, Digital: Security Elements at a Glance

Counterfeiters are constantly developing their techniques. Determining which is the original and which is the copy is no longer possible at first glance, as the infamous Plagiarius Award impressively demonstrates year after year. It is therefore all the more important to equip your own brand with reliable protection mechanisms from the outset in order to make criminal activities as difficult as possible. There are various security elements to choose from.

When it comes to tamper protection, you have two options: You can add security features to the product itself or to the packaging.

Product or Package?

Professional Product Authenticity Check

Minimizes the risk of counterfeit products hiding in the packaging and protects against refilling.

Professional Package Authentication

Can be done directly in the store, before purchasing and opening the product.

Twice as secure: Of course, depending on the resources available, you can also combine both variants and thus increase protection even further.


Discover Your Possibilities

Overt Security Features

Examples of Overt Security Features:

  • Immediate verification of authenticity possible
  • No device required for authentication
  • How it works for consumers is easy to understand
  • Deters counterfeiters

More information

Covert Security Features

Examples of Concealed Security Features:

  • Security through concealment: Counterfeiters don’t know that the technology is present
  • Although tools are required, no in-depth user knowledge is necessary

More examples

Forensic Security Features

This type of security feature is characterized by the fact that it can only be verified using specific procedures - for example, in a laboratory using appropriate equipment. For this reason, they are only known to limited, authorized target groups - for example, representatives of authorities. Forensic security features represent a particularly high hurdle for counterfeiters.

Examples of Forensic Security Features:

  • Nano-optical structures in OVD technologies
  • Biochemical signatures
  • Chemical markers (taggants)

More information

Digital Security Features

Advantages of Digital Security Features:

  • Dual protection using encryption algorithms
  • Creating unique copy-protected identities using intelligent structures
  • Bonus features such as supply chain transparency
  • Easy verification of authenticity using smartphones
  • Added value for customers and consumers through further information on the product or company

Learn more


Reliably Protect Your Product against Tampering - Get Expert Advice!

Does your product have one or more types of security elements? If there are still security vulnerabilities, can the level of protection be increased even further - and which combination is ideal for your specific circumstances? It’s often not easy to keep track and find a solution that is ideally tailored to your own needs. Get expert advice on product and brand protection. Please feel free to get in touch with our team - we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

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