Sources of Counterfeits

Illegal Operations i.e. Printing of fake product labels
Direct Imports
Transit Goods
Adulteration of Products

Products that are mostly counterfeited

Fast moving consumable goods including Soap and Detergents, Food Products, Alcoholic Beverages, Dry Cell batteries, Pens, Cosmetics, Electrical and Electronic Equipment, vehicle spare parts, Common Medicine, Shoe polish, seeds & fertilizers, Apparel & software among others.

Effects of Counterfeits

Economic effects

• Unfair Competition
• Loss of Brand Reputation
• Loss of Market Share
• Loss of fair bargain
• Increased costs to the company
• Loss of Jobs and reduced investments
• Collapse and /or relocation legitimate companies
• Loss of Government Revenue
• Diversion of resource

Social Effects

• Consumer Health Risks leading to ailments or deaths e.g. medicine, foods, juices
• Insecurity e.g. Fake locks
• Loss of Creativity and Innovation
• Accidents e.g. House fires, fake spare parts
• Collaboration with other crime e.g. Money Laundering, Drug Trafficking and Terrorism

Political effects

• Reduced Direct Foreign Investments
• Frustration of long term Government Policies e.g. food security
• Dirty money available for illicit political agenda
• International Relations (trade wars)

What is your role in this fight?

• Be more vigilant as a consumer
• Report suspected fakes
• Always remember cheap may be Expensive
• Register you brands, brand name, symbols etc as a manufacturer
• Register new innovations for IPR
• As a counterfeiter redirect your energy and resources, be innovative make you own products! Be responsible for others welfare!

BUY GENUINE, BUILD KENYA!!!

About Anti-Counterfeits

What is Counterfeit

A counterfeit is a product that imitates the genuine one. Counterfeiting and piracy are the infringement of intellectual property rights. The vice is a global concern that denies Intellectual Property Rights owners their deserved benefits. This practice has been a thorny issue to entrepreneurs and consumers in Kenya for a long time.

The Anti-Counterfeit Act

The parliament of Kenya enacted the Anti-Counterfeit Act No.13 of 2008. This Act of parliament was enacted to prohibit trade in counterfeit goods. Organizations and regulatory bodies came together in the spirit of the Act to consolidate efforts and promote inter-agency corporations to fight this thriving trade, through the formation of the Anti-counterfeit Agency (ACA).