Representatives of Manchester’s Market Services, Trading Standards and Councillors, gathered with campaign partners and stakeholders at three of the city’s markets to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Real Deal Charter signing in Manchester. The Council was the first in the UK to introduce the initiative.
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Gorton Market, Longsight Market and the Sunday Market at New Smithfield Market each welcome thousands of visitors each year. They’ve joined with around 500 markets in the UK as part of a dedicated campaign to ensure businesses and customers are protected from the harm of fake goods being sold.
The reinvigorated Real Deal campaign aims to reinforce the message that Manchester has zero tolerance for the sale of counterfeit goods at its markets and set the precedence for quality trading standards in the city.
In November 2009, Manchester was a founding member of the Real Deal when it became one of the first local authorities in the UK to sign and introduce the Real Deal Charter across the city’s council-run markets.
Only four years after its launch, the former Manchester City Council Market Manager, Tony Sproston, and Trading Standards Officer, Nicola Bray were presented with a special commendation award from the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).
The highly-anticipated campaign re-launch also aims to tackle the funding of terrorism in the UK from the sale of fake goods and reassure market shoppers the products they purchase are safe and ethical.
Officials, traders and customers celebrated the first re-launch of the Sunday Market at New Smithfield Market on 4 August.
Eager crowds then gathered for the re-launch at Gorton and Longsight Markets on 7 August.
Greater Manchester Police officers from Operation Vulcan, representatives from the National Association of British Market Authorities, Trading Standards and Councillors were in attendance to mark the occasion.
Manchester market traders showed their support for the re-launch of the Real Deal Charter
