Anti-Counterfeiting Technology to Expand Your Brand

Do you know that around 3.3% of global products are fake? The percentage might not seem much, but when you break it down to dollars, it amounts to USD 509 Billion! Shockingly, a sharp rise in fake products started when COVID-19 hit the world. It allowed illegitimate dealers to penetrate counterfeit products into online supply chains and make a profit from it.

Though counterfeit products are everywhere and have not caused any severe harm previously, it has currently become a global issue. The malefactors have even made their way to the pharma sector and sold several fake medicines to people. These fake medicines have caused not only severe health issues but also hampered famous pharma brand names.

But, there’s always a way out from such scenarios. Once brands implement anti-counterfeiting solutions for their products, they can protect their company from such false allegations. Besides, anti-counterfeiting technology can also help in catching such dealers who are responsible for distributing fake products.

Best Anti-Counterfeiting Technologies for Brand Protection

When it comes to anti-counterfeiting & brand protection, software or digital technology is the only way out. There are several advanced technologies that can help curb the rise of counterfeit products and stop grey markets.

#1 Supply Chain Digitization

The first step towards fighting counterfeit hotspots is by digitizing all ongoing supply chains. By doing so, you can prevent illegal sellers from inserting fake products into the value or supply chain and safeguard your brand’s name.

When you sell products through big e-commerce websites like Amazon, eBay, etc., there are chances that other sellers might replicate products and sell them in your brand’s name. Though such e-commerce websites do have strong anti-counterfeiting technologies, it’s better to have an additional protective layer.

By digitizing the supply chain, you get to view details of the product from its manufacturing point till the time it reaches the end consumer. Besides, if any product goes missing from the supply chain or there are some suspicious activities, you will immediately get alerts through the system and can take necessary actions.

Digital supply chain also brings forward several benefits to your plate. You can track and trace all of your products from the comfort of your office. Besides, digital methods help in solving the issue of manual errors during inventory management.

#2 One-Time QR Codes

Better known as Kill Codes, these one-time QR codes are perfect for anti-counterfeiting & brand protection. Kill codes are designed in a way that they can only be scanned once, that too by the end consumer. No middleman can scan those codes. Why? That’s because, once scanned, the product will immediately show as “SOLD” on the website.

Besides, if anyone tries to replicate the code, even the duplicate code will show “SOLD” once the original product is scanned. With the help of this technology, companies can get hold of such dealers and spread consumer awareness as well.

#3 Digital IDs & Smart Codes

Another method that you can implement on your products is giving each one of them a unique digital ID. By providing unique IDs to each particular batch, you are ensuring anti-counterfeit protection and encouraging proper traceability of the products.

Apart from this, you can also try your hand with smart codes. Smart codes are similar to kill codes, except the former provides proper product details when you scan the code. As consumers are becoming more aware of fake products and want proof of authenticity, smart codes can help them swat away the doubts and trust the brand. They also help in backward and end-to-end traceability of the product.

Besides, if you combine digital IDs with smart codes, the defense layer will increase, and you can add more features per your requirement. For example, through these codes, you can introduce review sections for consumer engagements, reward points, and loyalty programs for customers.

#4 Machine Vision and AI Based Technologies

Artificial intelligence combined with machine vision is the latest anti-counterfeiting solutions now available in the market. There are several methods through which you can implement vision-based technology in products. You can go for e-fingerprints, unique design flaws that are not visible to the naked eye, and much more.

The best advantage of using AI technology is that you get real-time alerts about mishaps in the supply chain. Let’s say your company is known for making quality lipsticks, due to which counterfeiters are trying to copy your products and sell them ahead for a profit. To prevent the production of duplicate products and protect your brand name, you can turn towards vision-based AI solutions.

For every product created in your manufacturing plant, the AI technology will capture the image and store it in Cloud. Whenever a duplicate product reaches the market and the store person or consumer scans the barcode, they won’t find the product’s image in the system. Thus, it will create awareness about duplicate products and you can take necessary actions for the same.

Proper Anti-counterfeiting packaging is the need of the hour for all companies. Whether you sell apparel, medicines, or any FMCG product, having proper security will help you in the long run. Besides, getting anti-counterfeiting solutions is a one-time investment that will benefit you for decades. This is because you are not only safeguarding your brand’s name but also making sure that your customers remain safe from such fake products and sellers.

If you are looking for anti-counterfeit protection for your brand, then Sepio Solutions can help you out. Contact [email protected] for more details.