Pictured are (left to right) Joe Barratt from Stockport’s Teenage Market, Ian O’Donnell from Stockport Council and Paul Downs Stockport Market Manager.

Stockport Council, Stockport’s Market Traders and the Teenage Markets have shown their commitment to tackle counterfeit goods by signing up to the ‘Real Deal’.

The ‘Real Deal’ is a Charter for local markets and Council Trading Standards teams to work in partnership to ensure that counterfeit goods are not offered for sale on the market.

Paul Lawrence, Corporate Director at Stockport Council, said “We are delighted to sign up to the ‘Real Deal’ as this underlines the excellent partnership work that is already in place between the Council and Stockport Market Traders. It also sends a clear message that we are committed to tackling counterfeit and dangerous goods in Stockport. The Council’s Trading Standards team will continue to take robust action against any traders found to be supplying counterfeit products.”

Members of the public wishing to report counterfeit goods on sale are advised to contact either Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 08454 04 05 06 in the first instance.

Brian Conlon, Chair of the National Markets Group for Intellectual Property Protection, which works alongside the ‘Real Deal’, said: “I am delighted to welcome Stockport Council to the Real Deal. By signing the charter, the Council is demonstrating their joint commitment to safe, fake-free shopping for customers and a level playing field for the market’s traders.”

He added: “By introducing the Real Deal charter to their Teenage Market in Stockport, Tom and Joe Barratt are ensuring that other young entrepreneurs realise the importance of protecting their own ideas and creations as well as their responsibility to respect the intellectual property of others.

“We encourage other local authorities and private market operators to follow the example here in Stockport. As more and more councils across the UK adopt the Real Deal principles, traders in counterfeit and other illegal goods are being squeezed out of the country’s markets and car boot fairs, which not only benefits local communities but is also helping to disrupt the criminal gain of organised crime groups.”