“The scheme has been fundamental in creating a step change amongst market operators to ensure that IP infringing goods are not sold at their markets” Duncan Stephenson, CTSI

At the 2024 Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Conference in Leeds, the National Markets Group for IP Protection (NMG) celebrated the 15^th anniversary of its Real Deal Campaign for Fake-Free Markets.

Back in 2009, the Real Deal was officially launched at the CTSI national conference. It returned to mark the campaign’s 15-year milestone at the same annual gathering of trading standards officers from across the country. The event also kicked off a programme of Real Deal renewal in which existing Real Deal markets are invited to join with their local trading standards service and refresh their commitment to fake-free trading.

Joining the event in Leeds were representatives of West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service and the local authority market services in Calderdale and Bradford who took the opportunity to renew their Real Deal commitments.

Since its launch in 2009, operators of around 500 markets across the UK have made a commitment to fake-free trading by signing the voluntary Real Deal Charter with their local trading standards service. Introducing the Real Deal Charter and displaying the logo helps a market to give reassurance to shoppers that it is a safe place to buy and sell. It is also a strong warning message to any would-be traders in counterfeits who have no scruples about ripping off consumers, selling unsafe products or damaging local businesses.

The Real Deal model of partnership working has proved so successful that in 2018 it was extended into the digital arena with a specific programme, developed with the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, to support trading standards services in tackling the trade in fakes on social media buy-sell groups.

Gavin Terry, CTSI Lead Officer for IP and Chair of the National Markets Group for IP Protection, commented:

“At a time that local authorities are facing increased pressure on resources, the Real Deal programme offers a tried and tested model to help market operators stay fake-free. In addition, the National Markets Group can provide intelligence-led enforcement support to trading standards. It is a powerful combination of prevention and enforcement which can alleviate some of the burden on trading standards services.

“Criminals are always quick to spot opportunities for illegal activity. Markets, car boot fairs and online selling groups can be attractive especially where local enforcement activity is restricted. Operators of these market outlets need to be vigilant as counterfeit products bring a whole host of problems: consumers are ripped off; fake goods are untested and potentially unsafe; law abiding businesses lose sales; revenue is lost from the economy to the black market; and often the trade in fakes is linked to organised crime.

“Fortunately, the Real Deal provides a set of robust and easy to implement procedures which can help market operators keep IP criminals at bay. Our message to operators of all markets – large and small, in physical locations and on social media – is review your procedures, work with trading standards and re-promote your Real Deal status. It will not only reassure shoppers and law-abiding traders but will also send a strong keep-out message to sellers of fake-good.”

Duncan Stephenson, Director of External Affairs at CTSI, said: “IP crime is not victimless and impacts on legitimate business and local investment. The Real Deal is a fantastic initiative that tackles this problem head-on and delivers real and positive impact.

“The scheme has been fundamental in creating a step change amongst market operators to ensure that IP infringing goods are not sold at their markets, which is precisely the kind of effective collaborative working that brings results that leads to better protection for consumers.”

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It is always great to catch up with market operators who are part of the Real Deal. At the NABMA annual conference in Harrogate recently, we were delighted to meet with representatives from Morris Leslie who operate the Errol Sunday Market in Scotland. Errol Market has grown over the years to become Scotland’s largest weekly market and car boot operation with a wide range of traders and over 250 car boot sellers. The market signed the Real Deal Charter in November 2015, working with Perth & Kinross Trading Standards Service to ensure that visitors enjoy a fake-free shopping experience.

Commenting on Errol Market’s longstanding Real Deal status, Gavin Terry, Chair of the National Markets Group for IP Protection (NMG) and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s Lead Officer for IP, said: “That such a large and diverse market can implement Real Deal procedures and maintain this standard over many years, goes to show that running a fake-free event is something that can be achieved by all market and car boot venues working in partnership with their local trading standards service.”

Pictured (left to right): Andreja White, Rolley Fraser and Keith Payne of Morris Leslie celebrate Errol Market’s eight years’ membership of the Real Deal with Gavin Terry, Chair of the NMG.

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Gavin Terry (right) collected the CTSI Hero Award from Graham Mogg from the WRi Group.

The work of the National Markets Group for IP Protection (NMG) was highlighted recently at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s (CTSI) annual Hero Awards ceremony.

Two key members of the NMG’s Real Deal initiative – Gavin Terry, CTSI Lead Officer for Intellectual Property and Chair of the NMG, and Patricia Lennon, Real Deal campaign manager since 2008 – were jointly awarded the CTSI Hero Award for Intellectual Property (IP) for their work on the campaign to help keep markets fake-free.

The awards, hosted by CTSI at the House of Lords in November, recognised significant contributions to consumer protection across the UK.

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 (Naturally North Coast & Glens CIC)

Eoin McConnell from Naturally North Coast and Glens CIC signs the Real Deal Charter alongside Damien Doherty, Chief Inspector of the Trading Standards Service and Shauna McFall, Market Manager. 

Naturally North Coast & Glens Artisan Market is the latest market in Northern Ireland to sign the Real Deal Charter with their local Trading Standards Service. 

Welcoming the development, Shauna McFall of Naturally North Coast & Glens Community Interest Company, said: “Our Trader Product Standards and Code of Conduct naturally meet the requirements of the Real Deal Charter, so this is a fantastic additional standard for safe, fair markets. It gives shoppers that extra confidence that goods purchased are safe and legal. As well as counterfeit items, the Real Deal charter covers all laws and regulations that would be enforced by trading standards including copyright infringements, weights and measures and product safety.”

Damien Doherty, Chief Inspector of the Trading Standards Service, added: “Fake items may appear attractive, but consumers should be aware of the wider implications and the risks to their own safety. There has been a worrying increase in potentially dangerous fake goods being sold to consumers such as electrical equipment, toys, personal care products and medicines. 

“Counterfeit goods are big business, a drain on the economy, cost jobs and are closely linked to organised crime both in Northern Ireland and abroad. Counterfeiting and piracy also cause considerable damage to legitimate businesses.”

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 All smiles as Jonathan Goold, commercial director of HPower Group (left), and Councillor David Cannon, the RBW&M cabinet member for public protection, sign the Real Deal Charter at Windsor Guildhall in advance of this year’s Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Visitors to the Royal Windsor Horse Show can be assured they are getting a fair deal at its shopping stands thanks to a partnership between the council’s Trading Standards service and event organisers.

They have secured Real Deal accreditation for the show’s shopping stands, signing a charter demonstrating a commitment to providing a safe and fair shopping experience by preventing counterfeit or illicit goods being sold and maintaining the very highest standards with the retail offerings.

It was signed on Thursday 3 March at Windsor Guildhall in advance of this year’s show, to be held from 12 to 15 May in the private grounds of Windsor Castle.

“As a council we are committed to investing in prevention and support measures that enable early intervention to address problems before they escalate.” Cllr David Cannon 

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Gloucestershire County Council’s trading standards department and Cotswold Markets are continuing their work together under the Real Deal banner to prevent shoppers from being conned into buying fake designer goods and other illicit items

They have jointly signed the Real Deal Charter to promote legal sellers at Moreton-in-Marsh Market, run by Cotswold Markets. The campaign is a national initiative to ensure markets are run legally and have a working relationship with trading standards.

Patricia Lennon, national manager of the Real Deal campaign, said: “We are delighted to welcome Moreton Market into the Real Deal. By signing the Charter and displaying the Real Deal logo, they are joining with hundreds of markets across the country in saying ‘no’ to counterfeits and rogue traders.”

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member for trading standards at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “It is important to ensure legitimate traders are protected and those who feel they can make easy money are deterred at the earliest stage.

“Shoppers want to know that they will be buying genuine items so I’m pleased this partnership working through the Real Deal scheme will offer that reassurance.”

Dave Joynes, managing director of Cotswold Markets, said: “This is a great initiative that will see us working together with trading standards to protect consumers and local businesses from the harm caused by the trade in counterfeit goods.

“We’re really proud of our market’s reputation and want to reassure residents, visitors and businesses that we’re committed to maintaining a safe and fair environment in which to shop and trade.”

It comes after Cirencester Market, jointly run by Cirencester Town Council and Cotswold Markets, signed up to the Charter in July last year.

Since its launch in 2009, more than 500 markets across the UK have made a commitment to fake-free trading by signing the voluntary Real Deal Charter with their local trading standards.

If you have any concerns about items sold at Moreton-in-Marsh Market please contact Trading Standards on 0808 223 1133.

Social media: Operation MONTY keeps shoppers and businesses safe from counterfeit goods in the run up to the festive season!

The National Markets Group for IP Protection (NMG), a multi-agency focus group aimed at reducing the availability of counterfeit goods at physical markets and online, is warning consumers to watch out for fake, and potentially dangerous goods, that may appear on social media in the run up to the festive shopping season.

With Black Friday fast approaching and consumers vying for bargains, traders in counterfeit goods are looking to exploit the retail shift to on-line buying by attempting to offer often dangerous, counterfeit goods on social media platforms.

“Counterfeiters operating on social media draw in unsuspecting consumers, using well-known brand names, to sell their illicit goods” said Graham Mogg, Intelligence Co-Ordinator at the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) and Chair of the NMG.

“This criminal activity undermines the fabric of society, robbing legitimate business of their income, placing consumers at risk and funds serious and organised crime. A whole range of counterfeit products including clothing, footwear, accessories, watches and even potentially dangerous goods such as toys, cosmetics, perfumes and electrical goods are being offered on these platforms.”

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Traders from Stevenage Indoor Market, in partnership with Stevenage Borough Council, recently signed up to the national ‘Real Deal’ campaign – demonstrating a joint commitment to ensuring safe, fair and legal sales at Stevenage Indoor Market.

In signing up to the Real Deal Markets Charter, it means traders at Stevenage Indoor Market have pledged to continue working with Stevenage Borough Council to stop rogue traders from selling counterfeit and illegal items.

The Real Deal campaign is a cross-sector, partnership initiative, bringing together local authority trading standards services, market operators and traders, industry groups, and copyright and trademark owners, all of whom are united with a common commitment to tackling this problem.

Councillor Joan Lloyd, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Resources at Stevenage Borough Council said: “It is important to us that customers know they can shop at the Indoor Market with confidence. Fake products are untested and potentially unsafe. The sale of fake goods also means our local businesses lose sales and revenue is lost from our economy.”

She continued: “This is a fantastic initiative and confirms our joint commitment to ensuring consumers and local businesses are protected from the harm caused by counterfeit and illicit goods.”

Councillor Morris Bright MBE, Executive Member for Community Safety at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “The Real Deal initiative is a fantastic way to protect Hertfordshire consumers as they shop at the Stevenage Indoor Market. Our Trading Standards officers have inspected the market and its traders, so that our residents can have confidence that they won’t be purchasing counterfeit, unsafe, or non-compliant goods.”

If you have any concerns about items sold at Stevenage Indoor Market or town centre please contact Trading Standards by calling 01707 292429.

Left to right: Jason Poole, manager of Gloucestershire Trading Standards, Dave Joynes, managing director of Cotswold Markets, Becky Coles, Community Services Manager, Claire Bloomer, Mayor of Cirencester, and Cllr Gary Selwyn, lead member for community services, at the signing of the charter

Cirencester Market, which is jointly run by Cirencester Town Council and Cotswold Markets, is the latest to join the Real Deal programme to stop shoppers being duped into buying rip-off fakes of designer goods and other illicit items. On Friday 9 July, the market operators confirmed this commitment by signing the Real Deal Charter with Gloucestershire County Council’s trading standards department. 

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member responsible for trading standards at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “It is important to ensure legitimate traders are protected and those who feel they can make easy money are deterred at the earliest stage.

“This is a great initiative that will see us working together to protect consumers and local businesses from the harm caused by the trade in counterfeit goods.”

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In these two short videos, experts representing different stakeholder groups explain the benefits that the Real Deal Charter brings to shoppers, legitimate traders and the wider community.

NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME MARKET

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At the signing of the Real Deal Charter in Newcastle-under-Lyme Market in June 2021, Graham Mogg, Chair of the National Markets Group for IP Protection and ACG Intelligence Co-ordinator explains that Real Deal markets benefit shoppers, legitimate traders and the wider economy: “The money goes into the traders’ pockets and the government purse and is not funding criminality, which is what happens with counterfeit goods.”

Commenting on the impact of the Covid pandemic restrictions on retail trade, Cllr. Stephen Sweeney, Newcastle-under-Lyme Cabinet member for finance, town centres and growth, explains that the council is putting a great deal of emphasis on the town centre: “If we can say to customers that the goods we sell on the market are what they say they are, no frauds, no fakes, it will encourage people to come.”

Staffordshire County Council’s communities leader, Cllr Victoria Wilson, comments that the Real Deal in Staffordshire has been “fantastic”, adding, “It’s great for local businesses who can sell their goods to consumers who know they are buying genuine articles and won’t be contributing to the black market.”

Watch the video here – https://youtu.be/6olPzZ9xLZA

NEWTON ABBOT MARKET

Mike Walsh, Manager of Newton Abbot Market explains why he “jumped at the chance” to sign the Real Deal Charter in 2019, saying, “it brings the opportunity for customers to come into the market and shop with the confidence that they’re buying genuine goods, good quality at a good price.” Trader Diane Smith of Newton Phone Cases and Repairs agrees: “Customers are reassured and are happy and then you build up a customer base . . . through the years.”

Watch the video here – https://youtu.be/Fdqst1b0KW8