IP firm Marks & Clerk has created a specialist anti-counterfeiting team in response to the growing counterfeit goods trade.
The UK based IP firm Marks & Clerk has now consolidated its expertise with one multi-sector specialist anti-counterfeiting team in response to the growing counterfeit goods trade which is costing the UK billions.
The market in the UK accounted for £13.6 billion ($17.83 billion/ €15.14 billion) in 2016, with ICT products alone accounting for £2.5 billion ($3.27 billion/ €2.78 billion) according to the latest ‘Trade in Counterfeit Products and UK Economy’ report released by the OECD and IPO.
Partner John Ferdinand, who heads the team, says the move is in response to the increasing scope, magnitude and sophistication of the counterfeit goods trade.
Their focus will span customs and law enforcement, and online counterfeiting across healthcare, pharmaceuticals, ICT, fashion, cosmetics, automotive, media and entertainment, and toys.
John Ferdinand said: “Trade in counterfeit goods is one of the most rapidly expanding economic crimes around the world and is having a devastating economic effect with an estimated 27 million articles seized in the EU in 2018.
It is costing as many as 60,000 jobs a year in the UK, and research shows more than half of the goods sold were bought by people who knew they were fakes.
Across our network we have IP specialists with specific expertise in this area. Bringing them together to form a dedicated anti counterfeit team will mean our clients have access to some of the best specialists in the UK to advise not only on preventative measures, but also ways to enforce the law in conjunction with law enforcement agencies when intellectual property rights have been breached.”
According to the Imaging Supplies Coalition, the annual market for counterfeit printer cartridges adds up to roughly $3.5 billion (€2.97 billion) in market value and it isn’t just a problem experienced by OEMs. David Connett, a partner at market tracking company Connett & Unland GbR, says “Counterfeiting is also a growing problem in the aftermarket where some of the leading companies are having to invest more into brand protection.”
