Can we be right about the counterfeiting of our cosmetic products? What to do when you are a victim, or even only when you can be the target? What actions to implement, what reflexes to adopt, who to call for help? The customs services are there to help you, recalled Claude Salard, of the Customs of Marseille, during the 14th Regulatory Meetings organized by Cosmed.
For the dictionary, counterfeiting is the act of reproducing or imitating something without having the right to do so, by affirming or presuming that the copy is genuine. For Claude Salard, coordinator of the"small and medium-sized enterprises" plan at the Marseille customs economic action centre, counterfeiting constitutes an infringement of intellectual property rights, to the detriment of their owner, holder of the rights: it is a criminal offence and a customs offence. In reality, it is a phenomenon that is developing exponentially:"…". Now, all products can be counterfeit, no commercial product is safe "says the customs official. In 2013, 7.6 million counterfeit articles were seized by French customs, 65% more than in 2012! 85% of them came from Asia, mainly China. Main sectors affected, in order of importance: drugs, clothing, accessories… and cosmetics, in 8th position.
The implications of counterfeiting? Claude Salard details them: - For the company, it is a usurpation of its investment efforts and an attack on its reputation that can seriously damage its image, especially if counterfeit products are of poor quality or if they do not offer a sufficient level of security. - For the consumer, it is, more and more often, a danger for …
