Anti-Counterfeit Initiatives |
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It is difficult to estimate how many counterfeit products are in the market. European Commission admitted that in 2006 the number of cases taken by customs involving goods infringing intellectual property rights, as well as the number of articles seized increased dramatically. As a matter of example, in 2006, customs intercepted more than 128 million counterfeit and pirated articles, involving 37.334 cases (European Commission, Summary of Community Customs Activities on Counterfeit and Piracy, Results at the European Border – 2006). The problem of counterfeiting is more widely recognised in the luxury goods industry than in the image consumables industry.
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The Canon products that are most counterfeit are consumables (ink cartridges, laser and copier toners), batteries and battery chargers, cameras, camcorders and their related packaging and accessories.
The presence of Canon counterfeits on the market does not only have a financial impact on Canon sales, it also damages the reputation of the Canon brand as many consumers, when they buy a counterfeit product, don’t realize that the poor quality of the product is due to the fact that the product is counterfeit. "Canon is also very concerned about protecting the rights of the consumer who is the number one victim. Fake goods may sometimes seem like a bargain but there are always hidden dangers for consumers. The person who sells you a fake won't be around to help if it doesn't work properly. Only the genuine article can offer a good deal." (James Leipnik, Chief of Communication and Corporate Relations, Canon Europe).
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| Download our PDF on battery packs and chargers here. |
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When we use the term "counterfeit products" we are referring to those products which are fakes or copies of Canon’s products and which are packaged to appear as though they have been manufactured by Canon or with the
consent of Canon. Usually the products or packaging of counterfeit products will contain the Canon logo. |
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| There is always the possibility that your use of a counterfeit product can damage your property or cause personal injury. For example, using a counterfeit toner may cause damage to your copying machine. In addition, counterfeit products may not contain the safety measures and quality standards that a genuine Canon product contains. As a result, a counterfeit battery or a counterfeit battery charger when used or charged may cause: • Product malfunction
• Generation of abnormal amount of heat
• Rupture and leakage, explosion or fire
• Injuries to the user such as burns and blindness Please understand that Canon cannot be responsible for any loss or damage caused by counterfeit products. |
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| It is a criminal offence to deal in counterfeit goods and an offender can be sentenced to imprisonment or ordered to pay fines. In addition, an offender can be sued for compensation by Canon in civil proceedings. |
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| Most companies invest many resources in protecting their brands and ensuring their products are of the highest quality. The sale of counterfeit products prevents the consumer from obtaining the benefit of the brand and the quality associated with the brand. In addition, sometimes a counterfeit product can be dangerous because it may not contain safety measures that are incorporated within the genuine product.
In order to protect their brand and the innovation of their products, companies take legal measures such as trademark, design and patent registration of their logos, products and technology. Canon’s legal basis for addressing counterfeiting is infringement of Canon’s registered trademarks, designs and patents. |
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| It is difficult to identify counterfeit products in the market because the packaging for the counterfeit products often looks the same as the packaging for the genuine products. Therefore, consumers are often unable to distinguish between genuine products and counterfeit products.
Canon has incorporated special technology measures such as Canon Unique Hologram which is affixed on the packaging of most Canon ink cartridges, laser toners, copier toners camera and video batteries, Using Canon Unique Hologram makes identification of counterfeit packaging easier. It has a unique colour-changing feature. Front on, it appears as an iridescent gold, but when tilted into horizontal position, the gold colour changes to a bright, iridescent green. If this colour change does not occur or the colour change is only slight, the hologram is fake. Other indicators of counterfeit include:
• Unusually low prices
• The colour and materials used in the packaging, differ from the genuine Canon packaging
• The materials used in the manufacture of products are of a poor quality
• The manner in which the products are sold can differ from the manner of normal business and consumer transactions
• Spelling mistakes on the packaging or the product
• Canon Unique Hologram can’t be peeled off without damaging the packaging and/or the hologram itself.
Canon has its own experts, who are specially trained in identifying counterfeit products. |
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| Counterfeit products can be manufactured and sold in all countries throughout the world. However, Canon has found counterfeit factories in China, South East Asia, Turkey and India. In order to avoid detection counterfeiters sometimes structure their business activities across several countries.
Examples of the counterfeit Canon consumable and battery products that Canon has seized in the markets of Europe, Middle East and Africa include:
• Copier Toners: NPG-1,NPG-10, NPG-11, NPG-15
• Laser Toners: EP-22, EP-25, EP-27, FX-1, FX-3, FX-10
• Inkjets: BC-05, BCI-21, BCI-3e, BC-20, BC-24, FX-3, BX-3
• Batteries: BP511, BP–522, NB-1L, NB-2LH, NB-5L. |
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| Please contact the Canon subsidiary or authorised dealer within your territory (view list here). Alternatively, you can contact Canon at ipr.info@canon-europe.com or forward the product and invoice to ICCE (Imaging Supplies Consumables Coalition of Europe: http://www.icce.net) which provides a counterfeit identification service. If the product is counterfeit, Canon will investigate further. |
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| Canon is taking the following steps to ensure the products purchased by consumers are genuine Canon products:
• Implementing technological measures into the packaging of products which will help identify whether products are genuine or counterfeit (e.g. Canon’s Unique Hologram)
• Officially registering the Canon brand with the customs offices in more than 30 countries around EMEA to allow the formal surveillance of suspect Canon goods in most of the EMEA borders
• Joining organizations such as the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) (http://www.a-cg.com/), ICCE (http://www.icce.net/) and SNB – React (http://www.snbreact.org/) which have as their mission the prevention of counterfeit
• Training police, customs and other governmental authorities to identify counterfeit
• Educating the public and traders about the risks of purchasing counterfeit products |
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| With the assistance of governmental authorities, Canon has seized counterfeit products in many countries throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa. The number of customs notifications and raids is systematically growing up every year as Canon is becoming more successful in tackling the counterfeits and protecting the consumers. Between 2003 and 2006 the total number for customs notifications and investigation raids amounted to 1602 worldwide. Only in 2006 there were 422 cases in which Canon products were seized. And in 2007, 90 customs notifications and 122 investigation raids took place across EMEA region and were managed by Canon Europe. |
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