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Counterfeit Goods - Are They Such a Good Bargain?

With Christmas just around the corner, Poole residents are being warned not to purchase counterfeit goods.

The latest DVD release or must-have toy may look like a great buy on a market stall or via the internet, but the Borough of Poole's Environmental and Consumer Protection Services (E&CPS) say shoppers are not always getting what they bargained for, and there are safety implications with many counterfeit purchases.

Poole's Trading Standards Officers recently seized toy cars from a market stall on the High Street in Poole, believing them to be counterfeit. Tests confirmed the goods failed to comply with toy safety regulations.

E&CPS is offering advice to shoppers to help them differentiate fake goods from the genuine article. People are advised to check goods, packaging and printing on potential purchases, as the quality is often inferior on counterfeit goods.

Extra caution is advised with:

· DVDs and games with poor quality labelling and no outer plastic wrapping.
· Perfume with no plastic seal, poor printing on bottles and no batch code number.
· Clothing with no branded labels or swing tickets, poor quality printing or embroidery of logos, inconsistency of colours.

Lucy Magill, Regulatory Services Manager, Borough of Poole, said: "It is important shoppers know what to look out for over the Christmas period. We recommend goods should only be purchased from conventional sources. We also discourage buying from individuals in a pub or car park. With any purchase an itemised and dated receipt should be available. We urge people not to buy famous name products if they are unusually cheap and to be wary of 'seconds' or 'rejects'."

Cllr Don Collier, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: "Counterfeiting damages the business of local retailers, harms legitimate suppliers of branded products and means consumers are presented with poor quality imitations. The sources of counterfeit goods are often linked to serious crime such as money laundering, drug crime, people trafficking and violence. By accepting to buy counterfeit goods you be helping to support these crimes. Anyone selling counterfeit products face having their stock seized and forfeited, financial penalties, or even imprisonment."

Lisa Gaskell, Communications, Borough of Poole on Tel: 01202 633060