The Challenge Confronting The Brands
Counterfeiting is a global menace faced by virtually all brands. In layman’s terms a counterfeited item is a perfect look-alike of the original branded product but with far inferior quality. Such fake products when get a free hand in the market, fail to deliver the quality that the original brand stands for. This often results in a huge reputational loss for the brands that have built equity by putting in hard work and toil over the years.
What is more alarming is the fact that the dark underbelly of counterfeit and fake goods market represents more than 2.5% of world trade according to the latest OECD report quoted by International Chamber of Commerce.
Counterfeit products originate in almost all countries. While the pharmaceutical and food industry is the most vulnerable to this threat with the consequences that may result in loss of health and life, other sectors facing the brunt of thefake are toys, car parts, electronic goods, fashion to name a few. Besides deceiving the end users and eroding brand equity, counterfeiting also digs a hole into the economy. According to a recent research report by a leading brand management consultancy, counterfeiting now costs more than 2% of the global economic output that works out to around $1.8 trillion a year.
Brands need to ensure they do everything to protect their products from being duplicated and keeping the fake, off the shelves. In fact packaging can play the most important role towards Brand protection for thwarting counterfeiting. Packaging can incorporate authentication features embedded in latest technology for retailers and consumers to differentiate between original and the fake.
The anti-counterfeiting packaging market is witnessing an impressive growth owing to increased awareness among consumers about secured packaging; the spotlight on brand protection technologies placed by packaging manufacturers, and the ever evolving legal and regulatory landscape.
Identifying barcodes, holograms, watermarks though are economical and easy to print on packages they are susceptible to be copied by the counterfeiters who are well equipped with modern technology and machinery. Other measures involve track & trace technologies, tamper proof packaging, overt features, hidden images among others.
The challenge for brands, however, is to adopt anti-counterfeiting measures that are complicated to copy or reproduce but convenient enough for supply chain and retailers to identify and validate besides being economical.
Anti-counterfeiting solutions @ Uflex
Anti-counterfeiting solutions are one of the most significant offerings of India’s largest global flexible packaging solution company UFlex Limited. Uflex considers its clients as its partners and does not leave any stone unturned to come up with bespoke brand protection and anti-counterfeiting solutions. This stems from decades of experience in servicing global clients backed up with unmatched R&D expertise.
Some of the anti-counterfeiting solutions that UFlex offers:
- Different types of Holograms {analog 2D/3D conventional, Dot matrix (up to 24,000 DPI) non-diffractive Litho (up to 1,20,000 DPI) and E-Beam};
- Unigrams;
- Latentograms;
- Wide Web Holographic Films {Soft embossing films, Hard embossing films, UV Process Manufactured Fresnel, Diffractive, Holographic and Hybrid (Combination) lens embossed films, High Refractive Index films, Windows/ De-metallized and Lens films};
- Holographic Pouches;
- Holographic Strips;
- Holographic Scratch;
- Holographic Wads;
- Holographic Shrink Sleeves;
- Holographic thermal lamination films as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and Biaxially Oriented Poly Propylene (BOPP) variants in generalised and customised designs;
- Labelling solutions using foils, Fresnel lens and holographic effects {Printed Labels, Tamper Evident Security Labels, Anti-counterfeit Labels, Bar-Code Labels, Scratch Labels, Thermal Transfer Labels, Serial Number Labels, Holographic Labels};
- Hot and Cold Stamping Foils and OEKOTEX Certified Textile Value Addition Products {Sequins Film, Hot Melt Film, Holographic Glitter Film} etc.
