Generalities
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Check official, reliable websites of companies. Many of them provide some information/data on characteristics of their products. Get used to inform yourself about the characteristics of the original goods (e.g. packaging, leaflets with recommendations on the way of use, instructions/booklets accompanying the product, warranty certificates, manuals, labels, etc.) or some special security features (labels, security threads, holograms, etc.). -
Most times, original products are not sold at booths, small shops, stalls etc., are not sold on the market or imported by unauthorized distributors, exported/imported wholesale. Typically, original products are sold in authorized stores, which are issued purchasing documents (invoice, tax bill, tax receipt) or distributed by specialized centers. -
Pay attention to price. Price is one of the main features of a fake. The price of counterfeit products is much lower, by 10-50%, compared with the original products because counterfeiters pursue that they are selling faster than the original ones. Low prices are dubious. -
The packaging of counterfeit products is made of poor quality materials and print quality of information on the package (label) is weak, made with text mistakes/errors. Remember, a product is suspected when the package is not intact.
Many serious companies used to use some individual packages, with some special features such as use of an identification mark (name of manufacturer, order number, color, etc.), special package design (color, shape, material), labels or security threads, holograms, the position of these identifiers on packaging.
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Counterfeit products are often not accompanied by documents such as: statement of compliance, technical passport, operating instruction, warranty certificate, tax bill. -
Find out about the origin of the product to proxy it. If the manufacturer informs you that he only manufactures products in such countries as: FR, IT, SP, CH, then view the inscription "Made in Taiwan" as an indication. -
Serious companies are very attentive to details. They do not allow themselves, for example, to leave untidy seams or which splits easily. Counterfeit items usually are made of cheap products; the inside is often made of synthetic material. Make sure that the zippers go in the right way; that the stitching thread is of the appropriate color. Increased attention to the symmetry of lines, seams, quality of fabrics and used materials, unsuccessful combination of colors, finishes, etc.
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Signs of conformity, holograms, seals...
EC mark
EC mark is a mandatory marking of products in the European Economic Area. An EC product complies with EU specifications on consumer and environment safety and health. Marking the product with the sign in question, the manufacturer declares that his product meets these requirements. Some products may have illegally printed the conformity mark, EC mark/sign, when they do not comply, or which do not require this mark. The sign "China Export" is very similar to the EU one. The difference is only that in the sign "China Export" the two letters have no space between them as in the European sign. EC mark - learn to make the difference!
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EAN code (European article number)
The type of writing of the EAN code, internationally, uniformly harmonized, consisting of 08/13/14 digits, unique worldwide for products and services, must be written in sans serif font (serife - have an ornament (serif) placed at the termination of the digit, which gives it a special distinction, being positioned transversely to their basic position).
PAO symbol (Period after Opening)
The symbol is represented by a box with the lid open. This symbol must be accompanied by the period in months or years specified by a number that is located inside or near the symbol. It is specific to products with the date of validity of more than 30 months, being placed both on the primary and secondary packaging. Ii represents the time from which a cosmetic product ceases to satisfy safety requirements. By "M" are symbolized the months.
Label
All mentions that are written on the labels, leaflets or, where appropriate, supporting documents must be written in the state language of the RM (without excluding their writing in other languages).
Marketing of products without any identifying and characterizing element (no labels) can not be justified. Consumer information by identifying and characterizing elements that are written in sight, where appropriate, on the product label, sale package is mandatory.
Counterfeit clothing labels do not contain the same information about how washing or ironing as the original labels.
Textile labels must inform the consumer in particular with regard to: instructions for washing, ironing, material composition of which is manufactured the clothing, information on size, logo type labels, barcode labels or various combinations. It is imperative that these instructions appear on the label on maintenance and composition. The label is indispensable to any textile product.
The discrepancy between the composition of the fiber indicated on the labels of the same article (e.g. on the cardboard technical presentation label and on the label of textiles). No translation of information on the technical presentation label must warn you.
Mandatory information on foodstuff labels: the name under which the product is sold, the list of ingredients, quality of some ingredients, net quantity, date of minimum durability, alcohol concentration of beverages with more than 1.2% alcohol by volume, specific storage instructions / terms of use, name and address of manufacturer, packer or seller, the origin (where the lack of it misleads the consumer), instructions for use if necessary.
Footwear labeling must be attached to at least one pair of shoes. It can also be on packaging, but must also appear on the shoe. It must include icons that help identify the face, lining and insole roof and, respectively, the outer sole of the shoe.
