The better the product, the quicker it becomes a target for imitation. This poses a colossal challenge for all market participants, manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers. Counterfeits can lead to injury and expose sellers and producers to legal consequences. Among numerous severe drawbacks, these imitation products boast only one misleading ‘advantage’—a lower price. Is it worth sacrificing customer trust and reputation? Let’s explore how to recognize counterfeits and their associated risks.
Recognize common signs of counterfeits
Sometimes, it can be challenging to distinguish between the original and a counterfeit. Still, a few signals can help with this.
Missing Certification
One major red flag is if the product lacks official certificates confirming it meets required standards and industry norms. Legitimate products typically come with documentation proving their quality and safety.
However, the lack of certificates might indicate:
- very low-quality materials;
- poor mechanisms that could easily break and require constant repairs;
- questionable products’ production quality:
- made on inadequate equipment,
- produced by incompetent individuals,
- without quality control.
Ask the manufacturer or distributor for certifications
to ensure the product is genuine and safe and meets specific standards.
An honest company will gladly confirm the high quality of its products by providing you with the appropriate documentation.
Product Labels
Check the labels, markings, and information on the packaging. Inconsistencies between what is declared and what is placed on the product can be a signal of dishonest practices.
Some companies offering counterfeit goods are aware of the increasing awareness among consumers. Therefore, they resort to even ‘more sophisticated’ scams, such as the inaccurate and dishonest declaration of the characteristics or properties of their products. This means that some manufacturers provide false information regarding the value, origin, or composition of the product.
This could be considered a crime and lead to criminal liability before a court!
Price too low
Counterfeits lure with a low price. However, it is worth looking at the reasons for this. They are usually due to high failure rates, inferior quality of materials, lack of proper manufacturing procedures, poor know-how, no or very short warranty periods and an inadequate claims process.
Cheap counterfeits are expensive in operating costs (given their frequent failures) and pose a safety risk. Therefore, their price is often strangely low.
Cheap counterfeits are expensive for customers in terms of operating costs (given their frequent failures) and pose a safety risk. Therefore, their price is often strangely low.
Counterfeits in our industry—why it’s not worth it?
The danger associated with counterfeit cream chargers primarily lies in the potential compromise of safety and quality standards.
Authentic cream chargers are designed to meet specific safety regulations and quality controls to ensure their safe use in culinary applications.
Counterfeit cream chargers may pose the following risks:
Pressure Issues
Cream chargers are pressurized containers, and counterfeit versions may not meet the required pressure standards. This can lead to malfunctioning dispensers, posing a risk of explosions or other pressure-related acciden
Chemical Contamination
Counterfeit products might contain impurities or harmful chemicals that can leach into the cream during dispensing, posing health hazards to consumers.
Product Failure
Substandard manufacturing processes in counterfeit products may result in product failure or leakage, leading to wastage, inconvenience, and potential safety hazards.
Material Safety
Counterfeit products may be made from substandard materials that can pose health risks when they come into contact with food. Unsafe materials could contaminate the cream or other substances being dispensed.
Lack of Quality Control
Authentic products undergo rigorous quality control measures to meet safety and performance standards. Counterfeit products typically lack such controls, increasing the likelihood of defects and safety issues.
An additional downside of using counterfeits:
A poor employer reputation
Choosing and ordering counterfeits for one’s company harms the reputation and authority of the leader and the entire company. In the long run, this can impact the effectiveness, loyalty of employees, and the market position of the business.
Why is it better not to use or offer counterfeit?
- It is dangerous: customers can be injured!
- It is an expensive solution: constant repairs or complaints.
- It is illegal: this can lead to criminal liability before a court!
- It is unprofitable: lacking trust from customers and employees erodes a company’s reputation, paving a straightforward path to losing competitive standing and diminishing profits.
Consumers and companies should buy cream chargers from reputable and authorized suppliers to reduce this risk, adhering to safety and quality standards.
How do I check if my Cream Deluxe is an Original?
If you need to check whether your product is authentic, there is a simple way to do so. We have printed Secure QR codes on our Cream-Deluxe chargers. These are PiQR Codes that protect our products against counterfeiting. After you scan it, You’ll get the information about product verification.