More market and car boot sale organisers in Staffordshire are joining a national campaign to ensure goods sold at their event are legitimate and that visitors aren’t ripped off.

The county council has signed its fourth Real Deal agreement with the management team of the district council-run market in Cannock town centre. The campaign aims to promote a fair and safe trading environment, including ensuring markets are free from counterfeit goods. The campaign brings together councils, market operators, traders, industry groups and copyright and trademark owners. Event organisers signing up to the Real Deal charter are demonstrating their commitment to tackling counterfeit goods sales and keeping visitors safe.

Staffordshire County Council’s communities leader Gill Heath said: “It’s pleasing to see another market organiser sign up to the Real Deal charter. We’re asking other market and car boot event organisers across the county to get on board and sign up. The more we have signed up, the harder it will be for counterfeit traders to operate in Staffordshire. By signing up, they are making a commitment to tackle the problem of counterfeit goods sales and sending out a message that their events are safe and have responsible traders. Counterfeit goods can cause real harm, for example if they are cosmetic or electrical items and they also damage our economy. “It is in everyone’s interests to combat the sale of such goods and it is important we all work together to do this.”
Continue reading →

MFR Cash for Kids Charity Car Boot Sale is the latest recruit to be signed up by Highland Council Trading Standards to join the Real Deal scheme. The scheme was launched six years ago in a bid to stamp out the illegal trade in fake goods at markets and to ensure businesses are fully compliant with the relevant laws.
Organisations throughout the UK have signed up to the Real Deal markets’ charter, a nationwide initiative that encourages local authority Trading Standards and market operators to work closely together and share information so that local markets and car boot sales remain free from counterfeit goods and are a safe environment in which to shop and trade.
The Real Deal logo is a sign for good practice and ensures traders selling counterfeit goods such as clothing, handbags, perfume, cigarettes and DVDs will not be allowed to participate at the venue. The logo will be displayed at the car boot sale on the 21st May at the Black isle Show Ground which indicates to visitors and the traders selling at the car boot sale that the charity abides by the terms of the charter and in agreement with Trading Standards. Continue reading →

As part of the NABMA Diploma in Market Administration, students attend three two-day courses in Derby, one of which is dedicated to trading standards law in relation to trademark and copyright infringement. At this year’s session, Gavin Terry, Chartered Trading Standards Institute Lead Officer for IP, gave a fascinating overview of intellectual property law which prompted a wide range of questions from delegates and a healthy debate. Patricia Lennon’s follow-up presentation on the Real Deal was also well-received by those attending as it outlined how simple procedures and working closely with trading standards can be hugely beneficial to market managers in preventing IP infringement at their venues.

Market officers seeking simple hints and tips and the law relating to this subject, will find the leaflet How to Stay IP Legal helpful, it can be downloaded here.  Another useful source of information is the CTSI Business Companion website.

Market officers interested in undertaking the DMA course in 2018, should contact NABMA’s Professional Development Consultant – Stephen Pickering by email on: diploma@nabma.com