
However, Aston Martin’s announcement this week that it will recall 17,590 of its cars shows that the problem is not confined to designer goods and sportswear: counterfeiters will copy anything where there’s a chance of making a decent margin.
Automobile parts are in fact a classic area for counterfeiting, which carries a real risk of serious injury or even death. Garages that fit counterfeit parts, even if innocently done, also risk product liability claims. According to the Trading Standards Institute, police in Dubai arrested a gang planning to flood the UK market with 45,000 oil and fuel filters last year. These were counterfeited to look like genuine General Motors, Honda, Mazda and Toyota parts.- Supply chain management is crucial. This may mean more investment up-front in sourcing components and monitoring suppliers, but it’s worth the cost
- Review contract documentation for IP indemnities
- Be very wary of any deals which seem too good to be true; this may indicate counterfeit product
- Rapid action needs to be taken on discovering a counterfeiting issues; brands in particular cannot afford to be seen as “soft touches” for counterfeiters
- Use a “mix-and-match” anti-counterfeiting strategy; techniques like customs seizures and private prosecutions are useful supplements to suing for trade mark infringement or informing Trading Standards.
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