“Three-pronged” strategy involves creating awareness, enforcement and product packaging.
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation reported that HP is adopting a three-pronged strategy to help tackle counterfeit products in Africa, involving raising awareness of the issue, enforcing laws against counterfieting and taking measures to protect products through technology used in their packaging.
Tina Rose, AFC Marketing Programme Manager, explained at an anti-counterfeiting briefing in Accra that “counterfeiting is bad news for everyone, as it dishonestly generates billions of dollars and threatens the reputation of global brands such as ours”; adding that it can undermine the business standards and practices of companies like HP.
Rose also noted that low quality counterfeit products often contain unknown chemicals that can damage both printers and the environment.
It is for these reasons that HP has decided to take action against the sale of counterfeit products in Africa after the OEM reportedly confiscated nine million counterfeit HP products globally over recent years.
HP cartridges are now protected with security technology such as holographic properties and Quick Response (QR) codes which enable customers to validate the product using a smartphone or HP’s website. Furthermore, HP Authentication Software, which can be downloaded from HP’s website, offers support to customers so that they know not to choose counterfeit cartridges – “should the software detect anything unusual, it will warn customers with messages and advise users on what to do next”, Rose explained.
She added: “The war against counterfeiters is constantly evolving and we must remain steadfast in our resolve, which is why we always look for new ways to tackle counterfeiting in our various markets across the world.”