Visitors will be getting the Real Deal at this year’s Royal Welsh Show after Powys County Council and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society made a commitment to keep them free of fake goods by signing the Real Deal national markets’ charter. The agreement is the first of its kind between a council and a market operator in Wales.

Celebrating the commitment to the Real Deal market charter are Cllr Geraint Hopkins (left), Barrie Jones (right) and James Munro, Powys County Council’s Trading Standards Officer.

Stringent vetting procedures have been introduced by the council’s Trading Standards Service and the Society to ensure counterfeit goods are not sold at events organised by the Society, such as the Royal Welsh Show.

Cllr Geraint Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Environment and Regulation, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society on this initiative that ensures consumers and local businesses who visit events taking place at the showground are protected from unscrupulous traders selling counterfeit goods.”

Barrie Jones, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s Company Secretary, said: “The Show attracts around 250,000 visitors over the four-day period and we are pleased to support this scheme which will further enhance the confidence we have in the businesses who market their goods and services during the event.

“Working in partnership with the Trading Standards Service, this shows our commitment to keep events that take place at the showground free from counterfeit and other illegal products and is another step forward to make the venue safe and fair for people to shop and to trade with confidence.”

Martin Roberts, Chair of the National Markets Group, which operates the Real Deal scheme, said: “It is fantastic that the first official Real Deal market in Wales should be such a prestigious event. Large gatherings can sometimes be a magnet for dodgy traders of counterfeit goods but by embracing the Real Deal principles, the two organisations have risen to the challenge and have put in place robust procedures to ensure that the Show remains a fake-free zone.”

“Displaying the Real Deal logo sends a strong ‘keep-out’ warning to the counterfeit con-men and also a positive message to consumers that this is a safe, fair shopping environment. I hope other markets in Wales will follow this excellent example.”