Market organisers on board to ensure goods are the Real Deal in Staffordshire


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.”

Tony Griffiths, market officer, said: “By signing the real deal charter we can assure residents and visitors alike that we are committed to ensure that goods sold on our markets are not counterfeit.”

Patricia Lennon, coordinator of the Real Deal scheme nationally said: “We are delighted to welcome Cannock’s markets to the Real Deal programme. This is a further demonstration of the long-term commitment by Staffordshire County Council trading standards, working in partnership with markets and car boot operators to ensure these venues are fake-free in order to protect shoppers, traders and local businesses from the harm caused by the trade in counterfeit goods.”

Real Deal charter agreements have already been signed with market and car boot organisers in Stafford Borough and South Staffordshire District.

Photo caption (left to right): markets officer Tony Griffiths, assistant markets officer Linda Shaw, Ian Sandford from events company Skett’s and Nigel Cotton from Staffordshire County Council’s trading standards team.