FMI, GMA Trading Partner Alliance Issues Brand Protection Report
The Trading Partner Alliance of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has released the 2013 best practices guideline, “Brand Protection and Supply Chain Integrity: Methods for Counterfeit Detection, Prevention and Deterrence.” The report was completed in collaboration with Inmar and Authentix, along with a working committee made up of industry leaders from manufacturers and retailers.
Based on a comprehensive survey of international CPG manufacturers and national retailers, the guideline aims to stem the tide of counterfeit consumer products in commerce and aid in the development of industry recommendations. The best practices offer guidance for manufacturers and retailers on how to limit the financial and reputational damage related to counterfeit products. Additionally included are recommendations for a response protocol when counterfeit incidents happen and a benchmarking tool for assessing anti-counterfeit practices that can be employed to develop brand protection programs. Further, there are case studies, risk assessment tools and the results of a consumer survey on counterfeit goods.
Broad View Represented
“As the voice of food retail, FMI is working with its trading partners to assume leadership roles in the fight against counterfeit goods entering the retail supply chain,” noted Mark Baum, SVP of industry relations and chief collaboration officer at the Arlington, Va.-based trade group. “This study pinpoints the opportunities that retailers and manufacturers have to reduce the chance for counterfeit products from reaching shelves and finding their way into consumers’ homes. We must be vigilant about safeguarding our supply chain from counterfeiters and step up our efforts to stop organized retail theft.”
“Counterfeit food and nonfood CPG products are a nearly $1 trillion problem for manufacturers, their retail customers and consumers,” added Jim Flannery, EVP, operations and industry collaboration at Washington, D.C.-based GMA. “When inauthentic products wind up in the hands of consumers, they lose confidence in the stores and brands they trust. This guide is intended to share best practices with manufacturers and retailers to prevent that from happening, from production and packaging to purchasing and stocking.”
The guideline encompasses a broad view of perspectives and insights, from cross-functional teams within FMI and GMA member firms, to academic and industry thought leaders, in addition to industry expertise from technology company Inmar and brand protection provider Authentix.
The 2013 best practices guideline is available for download online.