SAMPLE BRANDS
Quality Verification and Authentication
The Special Case of Wine
Wine’s source, or brand, is a major factor in purchasing decision. Counterfeiters take advantage and create fake copies, featuring low quality replacements
One of the most attacked segments, yet still no widespread adoption of anti-counterfeiting
Famous wineries, especially from France, are constant target for scams ranging from simple faking to sophisticated re-filling activity. Consumer may be challenged with the low-quality wine, as some of them are less familiar with the original – yet frustration and anger cannot be avoided.
- Not just French: copying now is applied to all major wine production countries
- Not just wine: many quality liquors and Whisky products are being attacked
- In case of Vodka and similar alcoholic beverages, low quality replacement may even cause death
- Consumers need not just verify originality: information about proper use and source are important parts of the decision making
Anti-counterfeiting in the case of alcoholic beverages is still in early stage. Simple measures such as simplistic (numeral) serialisation and hologram stamps have been tried, but lack the ability to withstand sophisticated counterfeiting, causing disappointment. Better technology is needed to stop this dangerous phenomena.
Recent Cases
25Februar2019
India hit by another fatal illicit alcohol incident
A second mass poisoning caused by illicit alcohol has hit India in the space of two weeks, with the latest incident already claiming around 150 lives as the death toll mounts.
More here
20March2018
Scale of Côtes du Rhône wine fraud “massive”
The scale of France’s Côtes du Rhône wine fraud scandal last year is larger than first thought, with new figures revealing that as many as 66.5 million bottles of wine were counterfeit.
More here
09December2016
Kurniawan fine wine fakes still doing the rounds
More than $500m worth of counterfeit wine by infamous wine fraudster Rudy Kurniawan may still be in circulation, according to a wine authentication expert.
More here
01November2015
Counterfeit alcohol kills 19 in Istanbul
Counterfeit alcohol has killed 19 people in Istanbul in the last few days, with the finger of blame pointing to bottles of the national liquor raki
More here
