Gloucestershire Trading Standards Service - Business Advice

Business Information

Counterfeiting and Piracy

What is Counterfeiting and Piracy?

Most commonly it is described as an attempt to produce any product, including music, films or games, identical or similar to another, usually a well known brand or designer, so that the copy is made to look like they are made by the brand when in fact they are not. The offences relate to the production, sale or having the items in your possession for sale as well as assisting in any of these.

Copyright includes the copying of any product, including DVDs, CDs, games et, for example, a CD-R or DVD-R with no trademark present on the label or packaging but containing a copy of a DVD, CD or game. This is also true for designs, literary work etc.

Most common examples found include:

Copied DVDs
Copied CDs (including MP3 format)
Copied computer or console games
Copies of designer clothing or fashion accessories including trainers
Mobile telephone accessories and covers
Car parts
Medicines and Drugs
Computer chips

It should be remembered that counterfeit products do not undergo any safety tests and so may cause harm to the user.

See also...

Advice for consumers

Gloucestershire Trading Standards, Hillfield House, Denmark Road, Gloucester GL1 3LD - Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4.00pm

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