Product packaging is an important step in ensuring maximum safety of products from tampering, theft and other forms of counterfeit. A coordinated and secure packaging framework coupled with a reliable track-and-trace system is key in supply chain security.

In a world of digitalized logistics and e-commerce, the physical security of products is no longer a supplementary layer of protection but a necessity.

Counterfeiters today operate on a larger scale than ever before, with entire factories featuring advanced technology focused on creating perfect copies of products provided by well-known brands or manufacturers. Trusting the entire supply chain security to a supposedly strong legal framework and the precaution of consumers is simply not a good strategy.

A sound supply chain security strategy would involve a proactive approach in implementing technology that allows manufacturers to track their products throughout their distribution chains and a packaging system that makes it impossible for counterfeiters to tamper with the products or replace them with cheap knockoffs within the legitimate supply chain.

Authentication solutions

Authentication in packaging is usually achieved with sealing and holograms. Depending on the level of security required, sealing and holograms could have advanced security features such as pressure-sensitivity, customized tamper-evident fracture patterns, a blacklight verification system, and machine-readable entrenched code.

These are sometimes heat-sealable and may be applied directly to product containers using induction seal technology, making it tamper-proof. Multiple films may be applied to form a single holographic seal that provides a high level of defense to containers or bottles.

Nano-optical technology

The use of nanotechnology in product packaging highly elevates the unlikelihood of counterfeit interference and solves the many limitations associated with synthetic packaging techniques.

Managed microstructures and nanostructures on technologies such as holograms offer features such as water resistance, heat stability and tamper-indicative change of color that cannot be reversed.

Tamper-evident packaging systems

Tamper-evident packaging systems may include solutions like wide-web films, holographic shrink sleeves, and security pouches. The tamper evidence feature maintains product integrity by preventing repacking or reselling of the items.

Shrink sleeves are a leading packaging application in industries such as food and beverages, cosmetics and detergents. These are heat-sealable and conform to the shape of containers making it harder to tamper with. Tamper-evident shrink sleeves come with microstructure holographic authentication for advanced security.

A wide web film is a holographic film with a characteristic design covered securely around a product or product container. To open the container and remove the product, the film must be cut or torn.

These holographic laminated films offer a completely non-invasive solution to prevent any sort of tampering and are used extensively for flexible packaging. These films vary in thickness and may come in PET (12 microns) or BOPP (20 microns).

Security pouches provide external tamper evidence and can be combined with the internal seals for double security. These usually involve rotogravure printing technology and the highest level of optical security features.

Tamper-evident packaging systems take the high-security value of nano-optical and holographic authentication solutions and combine it with high-quality printing and materials for a secure and appealing protection solution that increases product security and enhances the brand value.

For more on shrink sleeves, security pouches and wide web films, click here. To find the ideal product packaging solution for your business, click here.

From knock-off fashion accessories to fake mobile phones, automotive parts and pharmaceuticals, counterfeiters manufacture and sell inferior goods using another company’s trademark, brand name, logo or appearance. Benefiting from rapid developments in technology, these organizations use sophisticated means to duplicate items, making it quite difficult for customers to identify the true source of the products they purchase.

Counterfeiting is a serious crime punishable globally by fines that may run into millions of dollars and imprisonment of up to 20 years. Despite this, the counterfeit industry continues to cost the world economy hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic organization for world trade, estimates that trafficking in counterfeit products accounted for USD 250 billion in 2007⁠⁠ — approximately 1.95% of international trade. According to the International Chamber of Commerce, counterfeiting was a USD 600 billion business in 2011, amounting to 5% – 7% of global trade.

In a March 2019 report, OECD stated that trade in counterfeit and pirated goods has risen steadily in the last few years, even as overall trade volumes stagnated. According to the estimates, counterfeit trade currently stands at 3.3% of global trade.

Counterfeiting organizations are often linked to other organized crimes such as drug cartels, money laundering and exploitation of child labor. Even as law enforcement agencies increase efforts to shut down the illicit business, statistics point toward continued exponential growth in the sale and manufacture of counterfeit goods worldwide.

The need for effective risk management in the supply chain

China is estimated to account for 78.5% of the total counterfeit market, and along with Hong Kong, continues to be among the biggest origin countries for pirated goods.
Footwear, clothing, leather goods and electrical equipment are the top product categories targeted by counterfeit organizations.
Counterfeit and pirated products continue to follow complex trading routes, targeting certain intermediary transit points in supply chains, especially in countries where ports are not secured.
In 2016, up to 6.8% of EU imports comprised of counterfeit and pirated products. This amounts to as much as €121 billion.

Although it affects every product category, counterfeiting is more accentuated for businesses with a globalized supply chain. Supply chain management at large corporations can involve hundreds of links with each of those susceptible to intrusion by counterfeit organizations.

Counterfeit items can enter legitimate supply distribution chains at a number of points — the various component manufacturers, suppliers of raw materials, offshore assembly units, transportation, and even the retailers.

If not checked for quality, sources, proper delivery and authenticity throughout the supply chain, high-quality products may get replaced by cheap knock-offs at any point most convenient to counterfeiters.

As laws differ in countries, a manufacturer could potentially leave their product open to counterfeiting at any point in the supply chain when they target a market in a developing country. The market is characterized by businesses working with governments to reduce counterfeit trade. Preventive measures such as penalization, customs laws, and civil remedies work to some extent but fail to significantly reduce the problem. Often, in developing countries, regulatory authorities are ill-equipped to correctly identify original products from fakes.

There is an undeniable need to develop a far-reaching strategic approach to counter such criminal efforts with a multidisciplinary response and the active participation of a wide range of actors, each with their own expertise and specific areas of work.

The role of technology may offer significant contributions to step up deterrence and curb counterfeiting. The two most common technological solutions that companies employ are product authentication and track-and-trace systems.

Product authentication

Authentication methods allow customers to identify whether the products they’ve purchased are genuine or counterfeit. This usually involves assigning security holograms, QR codes and unique numbers or patterns to each product after the final quality check at the manufacturing unit. Scanning the unique code on their smartphone allows the customer to verify the genuineness of the product while informing the manufacturer about its successful sale. Security holograms for authentication can be found on nearly all credit and debit cards.

Track-and-trace systems

Track-and-trace systems are designed to help manufacturers identify faults in their supply chain. As the name suggests, these systems allow manufacturers to track product journey along the entire supply distribution chain from the production unit to end-customer, and customers to trace the products back to their original source.

Smart QR codes (in the form of labels or holograms) are assigned to each product. These are then scanned at every link in the supply chain using either specialized devices or smartphones. Failure to scan the right code on the right product reflects immediately in the supply chain database and allows the manufacturer to identify the point of failure and take appropriate action. This dramatically reduces the chances of intrusion by counterfeit organizations into the legitimate supply chain.

Added benefits

Anti-counterfeiting solutions such as track-and-trace systems allow manufacturers to not only keep track of their inventory at all stages of distribution but also make it easier to manage rewards and build customer loyalty. For more information on this, click here.

Conclusion

Counterfeiting is an exceedingly complex phenomenon. Legal deterrence like fines and imprisonment work to reduce the spread of fraud but do not eliminate it entirely.

With the global counterfeit industry on the rise, companies must take advantage of technological solutions to fight counterfeit. Some of the most effective methods include product authentication methods and track-and-trace systems.

While immensely effective in nearly eliminating the intrusion of counterfeit goods into legitimate supply chains, these solutions also offer added benefits such as comprehensive supply chain management, reward management, and loyalty-building.

For more on supply chain security, click here. To find an ideal track-and-trace solution for your business, click here.

The world is a global village as there is a high interdependence of countries on each other in different fields. From world-wide-web to culture, technological innovation to trade, military alliances to transport there are many scenarios in which the world seems to function as a unified whole.

Among the above-mentioned aspects, trade and investment play an important role in the economic development of countries. Of late, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has become quite important for third world countries when it comes to their economic development. FDI impacts the economic growth of the host country (a country in which investment is done) through the transfer of new technologies, organization of human resources, increase in employment, linking of global markets, the rise of infrastructure and much more.

However, the rise of counterfeiting can damage the FDI prospects of a country and its potential to create valuable innovation centres. FDI is important for both advanced and emerging economies to increase their productivity and output. Lack of intellectual property rights and anti-counterfeiting measures diminish the chances of FDI. In India, the industries most impacted by lack of FDI due to counterfeiting include equipment manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.

The total reduction in FDI due to counterfeiting and piracy is quite harmful to aspects like employment, infrastructure and socio-economic development. Countries are sceptical of investing in prospecting countries with weak IP laws as it may lead to counterfeiting of their products, theft of their technologies, reduction in their profits and damage to the brand image.

With the implementation of stringent regulatory measures and anti-counterfeiting technologies, duplication can be prevented to a large extent which will further brighten the chances of foreign direct investment. For ensuring impeccable security against counterfeiting it is must that supply chains must also be secured. A comprehensive outlook towards anti-counterfeiting guarantees the economic development of a country.

If you require customized anti-duplication solutions for securing your products and supply chains, then call us on +91–785-785-7000 or mail us at connect@holostik.com

With the growth of flexible packaging industry there has been an increase in demand for different kinds of shrink sleeves. A shrink sleeve is a 360-degree packaging tube that shrinks around the containers after the application of heat or steam. Shrink sleeves can be designed to cover the entire product or cover just a portion of it depending on the requirement.

Different industries are using shrink sleeves which include food and beverages, health and beauty, nutraceutical& pharmaceutical and many others. The beverage industry in particular has been using shrink sleeves due to their waterproof property and durability.

Shrink sleeves are also capable of catching consumer attention due to their 360-degree visibility. Shrink sleeves can also encompass a wide variety of designs and security features which are quite important aspects of robust packaging. Shrink sleeves work as an efficient product label for the company highlighting all the necessary details and branding.

Shrink sleeves can help to catch attention of the consumer on the shelf. Many companies also provide non-conventional ways to use shrink sleeves such as wrapping two products together for convenience and durability.

Brand gurus prefer to use shrink sleeves as they are a one-stop-shop for packaging. Since shrink sleeves are single sleeve, they are preferred over other forms of packaging products which might involve two or more components such as an outer carton. A single packaging product also reduces the packaging costs for the companies.

Holostik is a leading player in providing tailor-made holographic shrink sleeve. The shrink sleeves are made with optimum quality raw materials and help in leveraging product value and security.

If you want the best & customised shrink sleeves for your products, then call us on +91–785-785-7000 or mail us at connect@holostik.com.

There has been a humungous growth of fake brands in different industries. From counterfeit apparels to spurious medicines, fake footwear to duplicate watches the list seems endless. According to Global Brand Counterfeiting Report, “The amount of total counterfeiting globally has reached to 1.2 Trillion USD in 2017 and is bound to reach 1.82 Trillion USD by the year 2020.”

Brands are not just losing millions of dollars every year due to counterfeit products but are also facing many other challenges. Perhaps, one of the biggest challenges faced by organizations due to counterfeiting is the damage to their brand reputation.

Over the past few years, the proliferation of fake goods has bought a major change in consumer buying behavior. According to sources, a large number of consumers are less likely to buy products from a brand if its reputation has been tarnished due to counterfeit goods. Even in the e-commerce space, consumers are less likely to buy products from websites that have earned a bad name due to counterfeiting.

Counterfeit products have a direct impact on the confidence of the consumers buying a brand. A large number of consumers who have purchased fake products unknowingly never buy the same product again and tend to switch over to another brand.

If a consumer is duped into buying a fake product and later discovers that the product is not worthwhile then it leads to a blow on his confidence in the product and the brand. Moreover, such brands are more susceptible to negative word-of-mouth publicity.

So, if a consumer receives a fake product then there are high chances that the genuine brand and manufacturer may earn a bad reputation.

In the online space, customers leave negative reviews for such brands which jeopardize their reputation. This sometimes creates a false narrative that even brands manufacture low-quality goods. Regular news related to counterfeiting of a specific brand can create an assumption in the minds of consumers that the brand is not serious regarding duplication and is not taking stern measures against counterfeiting.

However, companies across the world are now taking serious measures against the problem of counterfeiting. The online retail giant Alibaba which has earned a bad repute for counterfeit products has made a task force to handle counterfeits on its platform. Besides organizations have also implemented different anti-counterfeiting products and solutions to secure their products and brand.

Holostik provides tailor-made anti-counterfeiting products and solutions which help in securing the product and the brand’s image from the problem of counterfeiting. If you are facing the problem of duplication call us now on +91–785-785-7000 or mail us at connect@holostik.com.

Almost two decades back people in India were not at all bothered about health, but now things have changed drastically. The popular health culture of the West, the obsession to look good and intense competition has created a general awareness regarding health and nutrition.

This has led to a spur in the demand for health and nutrition-based supplements in India. According to market reports, “The dietary supplements market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% from 2015 to 2023. Vitamins and minerals occupy a larger share of the pie in the Indian dietary supplements market – 40% – followed by the herbal segment contributing 30%, proteins segment contributing 25% and other segments contributing around 5% of the total market.”

Despite the enormous growth, the health & nutrition supplement industry is facing the issue of fake and spurious products. The number of fake supplements is increasing. The idea of building iron physique by consuming cheap protein and vitamin supplements has ruined the health of many consumers. There are numerous media reports on the growing industry of fake supplements. As per a joint report by ASSOCHAM & RNCOS around 60-70 % of health supplements sold in India are fake.

ASSOCHAM predicts that the market for dietary supplements will increase to $4 billion by 2020. With this massive growth in perspective, counterfeiters will speed up their illicit activities of manufacturing and selling fake supplements in the market.

The problem of fake supplements is not just limited to India but is also affecting countries in the West. Recently, the global retail giant Amazon issued warning notices to its consumers regarding the fake supplements which they had bought online.

Health supplement manufacturers can play a pivotal role in curbing the menace of fake health supplements. They can use different kinds of anti-counterfeiting products and solutions which help in product authentication and tracking & tracing the product supply chain. Effective and timely use of anti-counterfeiting solutions can prevent the likelihood of counterfeiting, tampering and diversion. The diligent move benefits both the manufacturers and consumers in the long run.

If you are into the manufacturing or import of dietary supplements, then you can get the best anti-counterfeiting products & solutions from us, which will be customised as per your needs. Call us on +91–785-785-7000 or mail us at connect@holostik.com.

The entire nation was jolted by the ill-fated deaths of people due to counterfeit alcohol in the first half of this year. Not just precious lives were lost but families were left devastated in the states of UP, Uttarakhand, and Assam. The onus of the tragedy fell upon the respective State Governments and a debate ushered in the by lanes of media and forums on the present regulatory and anti-counterfeiting measures against fake and illicit alcohol in the country.

According to a study published in the journal Lancet, India’s alcohol consumption has increased by 38% in the last seven years-that’s 4.3 to 5.9 litres per adult per year. Another study states that India is the biggest consumer of whisky in the world. However, the rising demand for alcohol has led to the growth of spurious alcohol industry.

There have been frequent reports of seizures of counterfeit and bootleg alcohol from different states of India. According to a report by FICCI, “The grey market loss to the alcoholic beverage industry stood at INR 14,140 crore in 2014 which had increased from INR 5,626 crore in 2012 observing an increase of over 150 per cent.”

There are various reasons for the growth of counterfeiting in the alcohol industry. Lack of awareness regarding the effects of counterfeit alcohol is one big reason. The poor consumer is lured by the cheap prices of counterfeit alcohol and thus ends up buying counterfeit alcohol which may contain toxic adulterants. These adulterants lead to serious repercussions like kidney failure, liver failure, blindness, and even death.

The government must address the problem of counterfeit alcohol seriously as it hampers the growth of manufacturers, leads to a loss of Government exchequer and jeopardizes the health of the consumers. The combination of digital and holographic solutions can prevent the growth of counterfeit alcohol to a large extent. The U.P state government is currently using bar codes which have not been completely successful in clamping down on counterfeits, therefore, authentication solution providers association (ASPA) has suggested governments to incorporate holographic products along with bar codes/QR codes on liquor bottles to battle the menace of duplication in the liquor industry.

Do let us know if your brand or product is facing duplication. We offer tailormade anti-counterfeiting products and solutions. Call us on +91–785-785-7000 or mail us at connect@holostik.com

Are you aware of the dangers of fake cigarettes and illicit alcohol? Well, you may be lured by their cheap prices, but they may lead to numerous medical complications and even death. Moreover, they also hamper government revenue and tarnish the image of the manufacturers.

Governments across the world use tax stamps as a physical indicator to determine if the tax has been paid on the product or not? A bottle of alcohol or a cigarette pack usually has tax stamps affixed to them. In addition, tax stamps also serve the purpose of authentication and determine if a product is genuine or fake. Tax stamps also leverage the aesthetic appeal of the product and make it highly saleable.

Market research suggests that tax stamps currently share a significant proportion in the security print market. Billions of tax stamps are printed annually for cigarettes and alcohol alone which makes them number one in terms of volume. In India, tax stamps are generally used in the tobacco and liquor industries where they are affixed on cigarette packs, cartons, and liquor bottles.

Tax stamps have been put to multiple uses – although unintentionally. Besides, being attached to the product for taxation, tax stamps are an evident proof that a product is authentic. It also serves the purpose of an anti-tampering seal, as it is placed over the opening of tobacco products or alcohol bottles. Moreover, tax stamps are printed with serialized code which is used for supply chain track and trace and production monitoring.

Since liquor and tobacco products are highly susceptible to counterfeiting, therefore, it is essential that tax stamps with high-security features should be used to avoid the sale of fake products and restrict any further losses.

Holostik offers tax stamps that incorporate different types of anti-counterfeiting technologies that encompass digital product authentication (QR codes & barcodes), holographic and non-holographic features. The company offers customized tax stamps as per the need of the consumer which helps in increasing tax revenues, curbing duplication, reducing the sale of hooch and deaths due to it and easy identification of genuine products. Some of the high-security features which Holostik offers in its tax stamps are as follows: human-readable variable data, machine-readable encrypted code, microprint, copy void feature, thermochromic inks, colour changing image, UV (ultra-violet) feature, user-defined screen, UV papers, security cuts, raster image, etc.

Used prominently on substrates like cardboard, paper, PVC, glass, plastic, and metal Holostik offers multiple variants of the tax stamps- as per client’s requirement. It includes holographic tax stamps, holographic tax stamps with taggant/talking pen, paper tax stamps and paper tax stamps with a holographic transfer.

To get the best and customised anti-duplication products and solutions call us on 9905-124-124

or mail us at connect@holostik.com.

Companies across the world use security labels to secure their goods from tampering, duplication, and diversion. Smart security labels not just help in determining the genuineness of the product but also helps in safeguarding the company’s brand image, the health of consumers and most importantly decreases the risk of lost revenues.

In addition, smart security labels also help in implementing different IT-enabled solutions in the supply chain. Smart security labels encompass a wide variety of functionalities that help in protecting high-value goods or items which are highly susceptible to counterfeiting such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and consumer goods. The different security measures can be overt, covert or forensic.

Security labels also act as the first communicators for the company and the brand. These labels are meant to provide first-hand information related to the brand and the product. In today’s market dynamics security labels help in leveraging the value and security of the product. It also adds to the aesthetic appeal of the product’s packaging and helps in enhancing the value of the product on the shelf.

Holostik is one of the largest manufacturers of security labels in India. The anti-counterfeiting company not just makes different types of security labels but creates an identity that effectively reflects your brand to your customers and protects it from tampering, adulteration, and counterfeiting. Holostik not just makes product protection much more secure for its clients but also makes it impossible to copy or replicate the security label.

Different kinds of labels offered by Holostik include FMCG labels, pharmaceutical labels, label on label, automotive labels, high-security labels, in-mould labels, lubricant labels, Tyvek label, beer labels, tags, apparel tags, scratch label, educational certificates, holographic scratch, breakable vinyl, transparent, adhesive side printing, Tyvek (non-tear able), scratch labels, fibre paper labels, in-mould labels etc.

To get the best-customized smart security labels, call us on +91–785-785-7000 or mail us at connect@holostik.com.

Supply chains are like the nervous system of organizations. A healthy supply chain ensures that a company is progressing on the growth path. Supply chains should always be on high priority of companies as loopholes in the supply chain can lead to an escalation of costs, poor delivery management and a threat to intellectual property. Moreover, the supply of tampered and counterfeit products can lead to unwanted legal issues and a blot on the brand image.

Today, supply chains are prone to threats like theft, sabotage, terrorism, malware attacks, piracy etc. While threats cannot be completely erased, certain security measures can help to secure supply chains.

Holostik which is a pioneer in providing anti-duplication products and solutions also provides comprehensive and customised supply chain management solutions to companies. Moving a step ahead in anti-duplication technology the company helps to secure

Nowadays, companies are facing the regular threat of duplication. Counterfeiting or duplication can take place at any stage of the supply chain. However, monitoring the entire supply chain is a herculean task and manually it is challenging to examine loopholes or errors in the complete supply chain of a company.

In order to secure the supply chains against the menace of duplication different kind of technologies have been put into use. However, the most effective among them is the use of track and trace technology which closely monitors the movement and quantity of the product across the supply chain. Holostik provides a customised barcode or QR code along with a security hologram to products. This helps in not just authenticating the product but also helps in the implementation of other IT enabled solutions like track and trace, supply chain management, reward management, inventory management etc.

Digital authentication can take place through a QR code and bar code can take place on an individual product, pack case and pallet. The highlighting feature of this security product is that it cannot be copied easily due to the presence of physical hologram along with the QR code.

Holostik a pioneer of anti-counterfeiting solutions and provides a range of holographic and digital authentication solutions for securing supply chains. Its security holograms enabled with digital authentication solutions helps in providing a multi-layered security approach to the product and the company.

To get the best solutions for your supply chain, call us on +91–785-785-7000 or mail us at connect@holostik.com.