New phone-based plan to leave fake goods dealers stranded

What you need to know:

  • Origicheck Thursday launched a mobile-based anti-counterfeit campaign that will enable consumers use an SMS code or a mobile application to distinguish fakes from genuine products.
  • It is important that we get a different approach using the consumers to discourage dealers in fakes. Impressively, almost 80 per cent of buyers are willing to verify genuine products before purchase,” said Mr Kiriba.
  • The company has since partnered with major players in the manufacturing industry to have their products labelled with verification stickers that consumers can use to tell genuine products. The service is free.

Owners of businesses that deal in counterfeits may soon be unable to travel out of the country or access credit from banks if a new plan pans out as envisaged.

Under the initiative, a private company will liaise with banks and embassies to access records of those caught selling fakes.

Origicheck Thursday launched a mobile-based anti-counterfeit campaign that will enable consumers use an SMS code or a mobile application to distinguish fakes from genuine products.

Company Chief Executive Haron Kiriba said the move would help in reducing the over Sh70 billion in losses due to counterfeits.

“Our research shows that counterfeiters will not stop duplicating until there is nothing else to counterfeit. Manufacturers and the country will, therefore, continue losing revenue as investors will avoid Kenya.

DIFFERENT APPROACH

It is important that we get a different approach using the consumers to discourage dealers in fakes. Impressively, almost 80 per cent of buyers are willing to verify genuine products before purchase,” said Mr Kiriba.

The company has since partnered with major players in the manufacturing industry to have their products labelled with verification stickers that consumers can use to tell genuine products. The service is free.

Mr Kiriba said through liaison with the existing government agencies such as the Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA), Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards and the police, the war against counterfeits could be won.

ACA was established in 2009 but has so far recorded control of counterfeit goods worth less than Sh1 billion.
The Kenya Association of Manufactures estimates that producers of goods lose more than Sh50 billion annually to counterfeiting, while the government loses Sh35 billion.