The Anti-Counterfeit Authority has seized over Sh5 billion worth of substandard goods and destroyed Sh2 billion worth of counterfeits over the past year, it said yesterday.
The authority's chief executive Elema Halake said currently, fast-moving goods such as electronics, cosmetics, stationery, and food products are the most targeted by counterfeiters.
“On Friday we will destroy counterfeit goods valued at Sh100 million seized at the Mombasa Port,” he said.
Speaking at the launch of the Brandmark Anti-Counterfeit Technology with a serialised smartphone authentication system, he said they would work with all private sector players looking to tackle the war on counterfeits through technology and innovation.
“We are in mutual collaboration to benefit the private sector and most importantly to the consumers because of the health and safety concerns that come from counterfeited goods," Halake said.
He said that the government was working towards establishing a single mark that will help nab those trading in substandard goods.
“The anti-counterfeit mark of genuine [products] is a mark which we are going to work together with KeBS and KRA to make sure we have a common stamp that will be fixed on a product to take care of government concerns as far as revenue or a counterfeit issue is concerned,” Halake said.
Brandmark Safety Chief executive Peter Massawa, said the new mark will be integrated with existing standards markings such as the Kebs mark.
"Integrating this live technology will work with anti-counterfeit agency and manufacturers to protect the consumers to make an elaborate decision when buying a product," he said.
He said this will be aided by the app providing to the anti-counterfeit authorities real-time information immediately a product is scanned by a consumer at the point of purchase.
