Local authorities in the UAE, in partnership with HP, have successfully seized a huge haul of around 1.5 million illicit items, in the emirate of Umm Al Quwain (UAQ).
In December 2021, two large raids were carried out by local authorities at residential premises, which were used as hidden counterfeiting sites.
The raids were carried out using intelligence gathered by local HP partners, shutting down major sources of counterfeit cartridges for HP printers, the firm said in a statement.
The managing director HP Middle East and Turkey, Vishnu Taimni, said: “The sale of counterfeit printer and toner cartridges is a criminal offence, and for sellers and distributers to trade in counterfeits they are committing an infringement of intellectual property.
“This can have serious reputational repercussions in the eye of the consumer as illicit products can deliver a sub-standard experience and cause damage to hardware. Authentic ink and toner cartridges have been developed to deliver consistent quality results that consumers can rely on.”
Taimni added: “HP is proud of its strong and long-standing partnership with local authorities and partners across UAE, which is leading to some wins in the fight against fraudulent print supplies. The continued success of our ACF programme in the region demonstrates that HP remains committed to protecting customers from illegal schemes.”
Impact of counterfeit and illicit products
Resellers and distributors suffer grave negative effects from counterfeit products.
A recent study by the Organisation for European Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) found that international trade in counterfeit and pirated goods represents up to 3.3 percent of world trade, which equates to $509 billion.
The report also highlights the effects which counterfeiting has on losses in revenue for both the government and companies, which can also result in direct and indirect job losses.
In the European Union (EU) alone, counterfeit and pirated goods amount to up to 6.8 percent of imports, as much as $132.95 billion (€121 billion).
Whilst at first glance, counterfeit cartridges may look like genuine HP cartridges, they fail to provide the high print quality, yields and reliability that HP customers have come to know from original HP supplies.
Alarmingly, using counterfeit cartridges can bring serious risks, these can include cartridges which fail or do not work at all, and even cause expensive or irreparable damage to printers due to ink or toner leakages.
Original HP supplies are made as part of HP’s closed loop recycling program which ensures they will not end up in landfill at the end of their life.
As a result, 875 million Original HP Ink and Toner Cartridges have been recycled by customers, and more than 4.7 billion recycled plastic bottles have been used to manufacture new Original HP Ink Cartridges.
By contrast, it is unlikely that counterfeit cartridges will be disposed of responsibly. What’s more, due to their often-poor print quality and necessary re-prints, it is highly probable that counterfeits will cause further environmental damage as they waste valuable resources such as paper or energy, the firm added in its statement.
In the current landscape where Covid-19 is a serious risk, HP has a high regard for its employees and suppliers to ensure they’re not impacted by the virus and are never put in danger.
Whereas counterfeiters do not have that same relationship with their employees and fail to put the same measures in place to protect them.
In addition, HP offers its customers and partners “Customer Delivery Inspections”. This is a unique protection service which helps them identify and avoid potential counterfeits. The inspections are carried out at the customers’ premises and are free of charge for customers.
If counterfeits are suspected, the inspector will ask for the name of the supplier and a copy of the proof of purchase to identify where the counterfeit products came from. These inspections are a key way of protecting HP’s valued customers from poor quality fakes, which may have worked their way into the supply chain.
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