Monthly Archives: July 2025

Real Deal Week: Day 5 – A Week of Real Deal Inspiration: Supporting Safe, Fair and Trusted Markets

Posted on by

Throughout Real Deal Week 2025, NABMA has celebrated its long-standing partnership with the Real Deal Campaign for Fake-Free Markets, which began in 2008 and continues to play a vital role in supporting market integrity.

In today’s trading environment, the Real Deal is more important than ever. It helps:

  • Build shopper confidence
  • Support hardworking, law-abiding traders
  • Deter rogue traders and illicit goods
  • Protect markets as valuable community assets

Growing Momentum

This week’s activity has already inspired several markets to start the process of joining the Real Deal, while others have renewed or re-promoted their commitment.

Among them is Greenwich Market, where Market Operations Manager Rachid Ghailane has been working closely with Royal Borough of Greenwich Trading Standards. Rachid called the campaign “an important step in building a market that’s safer, stronger and truly a Real Deal.”

Read more . . .

Real Deal Week: Day 4 – Protecting Your Market: Lessons from the Real Deal Virtual Event

Posted on by

As part of Real Deal Week 2025, NABMA hosted a practical and interactive online session titled “Real Deal and Its Importance to Your Market and Your Community” on Thursday 17 July. The event brought together market operators, trading standards professionals, and brand protection experts to explore the growing risks posed by counterfeit goods and how markets can take action.

Over 25 participants took part in the session, which featured presentations from Matthew Knowles (Intelligence and Strategic Initiatives Manager – THE ANTI COUNTERFEITING GROUP) and Patricia Lennon (Real Deal campaign lead), with a focus on legislation, best practice, and the tools available to help markets stay compliant.

Read more . . .

Real Deal Week: Day 3 – Is It Time to Renew Your Real Deal Commitment?

Posted on by

 

NABMA is encouraging all members to confirm their ongoing commitment to fake-free trading by either signing the Real Deal Charter for the first time or renewing and re-promoting their existing Real Deal status.

Since its launch in 2009, more than 500 markets have signed the Charter in partnership with their local Trading Standards services. Among the early pioneers were Manchester, Bradford, Calderdale, Bury, and Tower Hamlets—markets that continue to demonstrate leadership in upholding safe, fair trading environments.

Other early Real Deal signatories include: Bolsover, Cheshire East, Chesterfield, Corby, Darlington, Daventry, Ilkeston, Hackney (Hoxton, Ridley Road and Kingsland), Leeds, Liverpool, Long Eaton, Loughborough, Hinkley, Hitchin, Maidstone, Melton Mowbray, Sheffield, Wakefield, and Walsall.

Read more. . . 

NABMA Real Deal Week: Day 2 – How Chelmsford Market Joined the Real Deal and Strengthened Community Trust

Posted on by

NABMA has supported the Real Deal Charter since its launch more than 15 years ago. We believe it is vital in maintaining the integrity of UK markets by promoting honest, safe trading environments.

Yesterday, we began our week-long celebration of Real Deal with a call to action for all markets that have yet to join the campaign. Today, we shine a spotlight on one of the newest members: Chelmsford City Council.

Read more . . .

NABMA Real Deal Week 2025: Day 1 – Celebrating a safer, fairer market industry

Posted on by

Kicking off on Monday 14 July, NABMA proudly launches Real Deal Week 2025, a celebration of a national campaign that has protected UK markets from counterfeit goods and unfair trading for more than 15 years.

Each day, we’ll highlight why the Real Deal campaign is vital for market operators, traders, and communities. We’re inviting all markets—whether indoor, outdoor, or car boot sales—to promote themselves as safe, fair, and trusted spaces for shoppers and a level playing field for genuine traders.

Read more . . .

NABMA invites members: “Review and renew your market’s commitment to the Real Deal campaign”

Posted on by

NABMA is delighted to announce a celebration of its long-standing partnership with Real Deal, featuring a week of information, case studies, and discussions from 14 to 18 July.

During the week, we hope you will join us for the events – to review your membership and, by the end of the week, renew your market’s commitment to the campaign.

Each day will showcase why Real Deal is—and has been—so important to the market industry since the National Markets Group was established in 2008 to provide a forum for a national, co-ordinated, cross-sector approach to tackling the trade in counterfeit goods at markets and car boot fairs. NABMA has been a constant and active participant in promoting Real Deal to our membership.

As a reminder, 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 are united in their commitment to tackling this problem. It is a preventative campaign focused on a national markets charter and provides guidance, information, and promotional support to market operators and trading standards to help participating markets stay fake-free.

Our week of celebration will bring together NABMA, Real Deal, and the National Markets Group for IP Protection.

During the week, we will explore:

  • What Real Deal is and who it partners with.
  • Whether you are already signed up—and if not, why your market should join the campaign.
  • Case studies of Real Deal in action.

The main event will be on Thursday 17 July, with a free online session:
“Real Deal and its Importance to Your Market and Your Community.”

We will provide an overview of Real Deal, examples of counterfeit items, how to spot fakes, information on stolen goods in markets, toy safety hazards, and more. Booking will be available via the NABMA website.

SIGN UP HERE FOR THE EVENT ON ZOOM: https://nabma.com/event/real-deal-week-review-and-renew/

At the end of the week, we simply ask:
Time to Renew?
Will you (re)sign up?

Can your market afford not to be part of this campaign to protect integrity, consumers, and community?

Join us for this week of celebration and activities—and sign up to be part of Real Deal.

For more information on how to join the Real Deal or to discuss a re-promotion of your market’s existing Real Deal status, simply email your request to: info@realdealmarkets.co.uk