New brand protection devices aim to combat fraud

Following the significant rise in counterfeit cosmetics hitting the beauty industry security firm ArjoWiggins Security, has introduced new brand protection devices that are designed to combat the threat.

The French based company has developed many devices that target the threat of forgery, counterfeiting and theft. The devices are designed for use both on the cosmetic packaging, and the secondary packaging.

Latest customs statistics show that cosmetics counterfeiting and piracy continues to be a growing threat in Europe. In 2005, EU customs seized more than 75 million counterfeited and pirated goods with the number of customs cases involving fakes increased to more than 26,000. This indicates a gap in the markset for products that protect against the threat.

The company has designed a synthetic tamper evident substrate (STES) to counteract tampering incidents. The product is made from a biaxially oriented film of expanded high-density polyethylene, which is ultra fragile by delamination.

Attempted removal will see the face stock delaminated which will, in turn, stop any attempt of repositioning or re use. The company, which has mills in France, UK, Holland and Brazil, states that the product is perfect for perfumes and cosmetics due to the visible UV security features.

The company has also says that four other products could also help with 'doubtful authentication'. The products are the Spot Tag, Tag Spheres, Bi metal foil and Securepack.

According to the company all the products are highly secure, easy to use and each product works differently to combat the numerous counterfeiting threats. Methods include printed spots on substrates that cannot be removed, microspheres incorporated into paper and a combination of two metals, which are difficult to forge or reproduce.

Other companies such as Finland based Stora Enso have also picked up on the gap in the market. Stora Enso used the recent LuxePack show in Monaco as a platform to unveil the brand protection solution PackAgent.

Based on RFID, PackAgent is a software solution to ensure product authentication and tracking, that in turn can help to prevent counterfeit products as well as the proliferation of grey distribution channels, while improving efficiency in the supply chain.