By Ryne Ambrose, Brand Protection Sales Manager, Authentix

In recent years, the food industry has faced a growing challenge: food fraud. This issue has been exacerbated by the rise of e-commerce, where consumers increasingly shop for groceries online. While this shift offers convenience, it also opens the door for bad actors to sell counterfeit products, misleading consumers and posing significant risks to both health and brand reputation.

Understanding Food Fraud

Food fraud encompasses various deceptive practices including substitution, tampering, and counterfeiting. Substitution involves mixing lower-quality materials with products to increase profit margins. Tampering involves the addition of non-approved ingredients that may be dangerous or toxic. Counterfeiting is passing off an illegitimate product to mimic the genuine for ill-gotten profits or gain. These practices not only attempt to deceive consumers but also can pose serious health risks as well. For instance, a study by the University of California found that 69% of store-bought extra virgin olive oils in the U.S. were likely fake, failing to meet international standards.

The Impact on Consumers and Brands

The consequences of food fraud are far-reaching. For consumers, the risks include exposure to unidentified allergens or hazardous ingredients. As awareness of these risks grows, many consumers are becoming more vigilant about food safety. For well-known brands, the stakes are equally as high. Food fraud can severely damage the brand’s reputation and erode consumer trust. This underscores the importance of companies taking proactive measures to protect their investment in a premium brand as well as their consumers health and trust.

Preventing Food Fraud

There is no single solution to prevent food fraud; instead, an effective prevention program should include a combination of approaches. One key strategy is conducting supplier risk and vulnerability assessments. By identifying partners and assessing the level of vulnerability associated with the fulfillment of these orders, brands can often determine where to focus monitoring efforts and implement security measures. Building strong supplier relationships is crucial, as effective supplier management is essential for maintaining oversight on supply chain risk.

Another important tool is the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept, which has been extensively used to control food safety risks in the food industry for decades. Investing in technology to proactively remove fraudulent online listings is also vital. The right technology can detect fakes across various online channels and enforce intellectual property efficiently.

Brand Protection for the Food Industry

Brand protection for the food industry should involve a multifaceted approach that safeguards a brand’s unique identity, quality, and intellectual property. This involves a blend of strategies and legal tools designed to protect everything that makes a food brand special, from its name, logo, and packaging to its secret recipes and distinctive flavors. Effective brand protection ensures that every product bearing the brand’s mark meets consumer expectations, preserving the brand’s reputation and authenticity.

Methods for Brand Protection

Several methods can be employed to protect food brands from threats. Trademark registration provides legal defense against infringement and counterfeiting. Securing patents for unique food processing methods or recipes and maintaining trade secrets with confidentiality agreements can protect innovative products and production techniques. Implementing rigorous quality control measures and obtaining certifications like ISO or HACCP can assure consumers of product quality and safety.

Supply chain management is another critical aspect, as establishing a transparent and secure supply chain with trusted suppliers and distributors helps prevent the introduction of counterfeit products. Utilizing covert and/or overt anti-counterfeiting technologies and tamper-evident packaging can also help consumers and company inspectors alike to help identify authentic products. Monitoring the internet and social media for unauthorized use of the brand and employing digital watermarking and tracking technology for product traceability can also be an effective tool today’s digital age.

Conclusion

Proper risk assessment, supply chain analysis, and deploying brand protection technology in the food industry is essential for ensuring product integrity, consumer trust, and long-term success. By leveraging a combination of food regulation, innovative technologies, and digital solutions, companies can effectively protect their brands, detect and combat food fraud and maintain their standards. A robust brand protection strategy is indispensable in the digital age, safeguarding the culinary experience that consumers expect and trust.

Contact Authentix today to learn more about how our brand protection strategies can help maintain your brand’s integrity in the global marketplace.

About Authentix

As the authority in authentication solutions, Authentix brings enhanced visibility and traceability to today’s complex global supply chains. For over 25 years, Authentix has provided clients with physical and software-enabled solutions to detect, mitigate, and prevent counterfeiting and other illicit trading activity for currency, excise taxable goods, and branded consumer products. Through a proven partnership model and sector expertise, clients experience custom solution design, rapid implementation, consumer engagement, and complete program management to ensure product safety, revenue protection, and consumer trust for the best known global brands on the market. Headquartered in Addison, Texas USA, Authentix, Inc. has offices in North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Australia and Africa serving clients worldwide.

Ryne Ambrose, Brand Protection Sales Manager, Authentix
With a decade of dedicated service in the brand protection and supply chain industry, Ryne Ambrose is a seasoned expert in safeguarding brand integrity and optimizing supply chain operations. Ryne is well-versed in implementing cutting-edge brand protection strategies. He has a proven track record of identifying and mitigating counterfeit products, trademark infringements, and unauthorized distribution channels. He also possesses a deep understanding of supply chain dynamics. He has consistently contributed to streamlining operations, reducing costs, and enhancing efficiency within distribution centers.
To learn more about Authentix’s brand protection solutions or have general questions around your brand and supply chain, please email ryne.ambrose@authentix.com.

Intaglio printing is a laborious and expensive process that combines historical craftsmanship with modern technology. Learn about the intricate details of this printing technique, its applications in security printing, and the evolution of the process from traditional engraving to computer-controlled laser etching.

Download PDF.

By Donna Policz, Brand Protection Sales Director, Authentix

As life expectancy increases across the globe, a growing and aging population continues to become a larger subset of consumer purchasing. In fact, in the United States, the sector of individuals over 65 years is expected to grow to over 20% of the total population by 2030 compared to 16% in 2020. With the emerging intersection of technology, digitization, and brand protection, solution providers should begin to factor in this growing, aging population for consumer engagement and interaction with product packaging and labeling. An example of an industry being proactive in this area, the U.S. based National Association of Homebuilders, now provides certain contractors with a certification program known as CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) providing the designation on adapting certain technologies that will better serve an older population for home remodeling projects. As a seasoned professional in the brand protection industry, I believe it’s our responsibility to also act as ambassadors for the growing population of seniors, ensuring that the technologies we develop and implement are not only effective but also accessible and usable for everyone, including senior citizens and elderly consumers.

The Growing Need for Brand Protection and the Fight Against Product Fraud

Our aging populations are increasingly vulnerable to a range of threats induced by illicit trade including counterfeit goods and online scams. Elderly adults especially rely on over the counter and prescription medical and supplement products that can directly impact their health and well-being, making it imperative that these products are authentic and safe. As brand protection professionals serving a wide range of commercial companies and consumers, we must recognize that the stakes are higher when it comes to protecting this growing demographic. The consequences of counterfeit or substandard/adulterated products can be particularly adverse for these senior citizens, with many already dealing with multiple health challenges.

Leveraging Technology for Inclusivity

Advancements in consumer-based technology solutions such as QR codes and augmented reality for packaging and labels are a powerful tool in the fight against counterfeit goods, but as we advance these new solutions, we must also wield these with care and consideration for those older adults who may not be as familiar with smartphone and digital technology. QR codes, smartphone apps, blockchain, and other digital authentication methods requiring consumer interaction are a fast growing segment of solutions at the forefront of brand protection and can present challenges for senior citizens and others possibly challenged to fully utilize or understand how to use these new applications. A key role we can take as an industry is to ensure that the development of these digital and consumer facing tools are designed with these particular users in mind—making them more intuitive, easy to use, and accessible to those who may have visual, cognitive, or dexterity challenges.

For instance, QR codes should be in a large enough standard format to be easily scanned by older adults who may have vision impairment, and the associated websites or mobile apps should have simple user interfaces that don’t require extensive technological knowledge for interaction. Moreover, we should advocate for features like voice assistance or larger text options that cater to the specific needs of older users.

Serving as Ambassadors for an Aging Population

To better serve this growing and aging population segment, we should go beyond simply making our technologies accessible—we must actively engage with and understand the needs and limitations of this demographic. This means that during the development of these technology advancements, we also become ambassadors who champion the needs of these older adults within our organizations and the broader industry. It’s about fostering a culture of inclusivity where the voices and concerns of seniors are not only heard but prioritized.

We can do this by collaborating with other organizations that focus on aging, participating in community outreach programs, and whose missions are advocating for policies that support the accessibility of brand protection technologies. For example, we can partner with large senior citizen advocacy groups to help provide input and establish general standards for these emerging digital authentication tools. We could also extend our work to state and national policymakers to ensure that future regulations around product safety and authenticity consider the needs of these older adults.

The Benefits of Inclusivity

By making brand protection technology more accessible and usable for older adults, we not only protect this vulnerable group from adverse health and safety impacts from counterfeit products, but also empower them to make better and more informed decisions. This empowerment can lead to greater independence, confidence, and ultimately, a better quality of life. As we develop technologies that are more inclusive, we set a standard for the industry—demonstrating that brand protection is not just about safeguarding products, but also about safeguarding all consumers who rely on them being legitimate.

Conclusion

As brand protection professionals, we have a unique opportunity to serve as ambassadors for this growing segment of our aging population. By ensuring that our brand protection technologies are accessible and user-friendly, we can protect senior and elderly adults from the many threats faced in today’s growing practice of illicit trade. It’s not just about reducing counterfeit products, it’s about creating a safer, more inclusive world where everyone, regardless of age, can trust the products they rely on. Through thoughtful design, education, and advocacy, we can lead the way in making brand protection an industry focused on a cornerstone of support for our seniors, ensuring that they live their later years with the dignity and security they deserve.

Donna Policz, Brand Protection Sales Director, Authentix
Donna Gavitt Policz is a seasoned brand protection expert with over 15 years in the industry. Her concentration of expertise extends across multiple sectors, and has allowed her to work with the most prestigious and leading brand owners to establish long term success for these companies. Donna’s also holds the designation of Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) from the National Home Builders Association, ensuring that service providers to this segment of the population providers the products and technologies that enable seniors to remain in their residences longer. This cause is deeply integrated into her professional endeavors, reassuring the audience of her unwavering commitment to accessibility and safety. To learn more about Authentix brand protection solutions and how we can help you, email Donna at donna.policz@authentix.com.

Part 4 of our series of topics from Your Complete Brand Protection Guide by Authentix. Our guide helps brands develop holistic and secure brand protection strategies and solutions that safeguard their company, products, customers, and revenue.

Having an external brand protection partner allows companies to have an entire team of experts in their corner providing custom brand protection solutions built for each company’s unique situation using the most advanced technology paired with expert analysis.

A brand protection partner will be able to share valuable insights and analytics to make further recommendations for what next steps your company can take to combat counterfeits.

The right security technology should come from a company with sufficient industry experience, technical skills, implementation capabilities, and ongoing program management to properly support the program for multiple years.

Qualified brand protection solution providers will work with individuals, teams and vendors to develop, implement, and manage a proactive strategy to cover all company objectives. The following factors should be considered when vetting potential partners:

Industry Knowledge and Expertise: It’s critical that the authentication partner offers consultative services, has experience with the company’s products, and understands their industry inside and out. The partner should fully understand the company’s challenges, articulate exact problems and work to set goals for the program. In this way, a trusted relationship can be established that will provide:

• Common vision for the goals, resources and time management of the authentication plan
• Covert, machine-readable inks detected in the field by inspection staff with appropriate readers
• Forensic markers only detected under laboratory analysis

Customized Solution Offerings: Companies should select an authentication partner who can fully customize a solution to fit not only the unique challenges of their industry, but also the needs of the specific organization. The partner should have the necessary expertise on what types of security features are needed for different types of product packaging, such as tamper-evident seals, foils, labels, etc. This will allow the company to take a proactive approach in combating counterfeit products. Companies need a partner who offers:

• State-of-the-art color marking systems
• Multilayered security features
• Monitoring and enforcement
• Ability to function properly in a multi-channel distribution environment
• Data capabilities – dashboards and cloud platforms

Multilayered Approach and Implementation Support: Ensure the provider offers consultative services, implementation ownership, and ongoing program support after the program is launched.

Decades of experience have proven that there is not a simple “silver bullet” technology that can be applied to all products for perfect brand protection security. As discussed earlier, a multilayered approach in which overt, covert, and forensic features are applied in various ways is the most effective long-term solution against counterfeiting.

Supply Chain Integration: More than likely, the company’s current supply chain is complicated and has many moving parts. A good authentication partner should be able to instantly integrate within that chain. In addition, the partner should be a “third-party agnostic” solution integrator without any prejudice toward other links in the supply chain. This partner will be able to objectively analyze the supply chain, identify where potential problems lie, and make recommendations on correcting them. A provider should have the following attributes:

• Third-party printer, logistic partner certification and support
• Integration with existing systems and manufacturers
• Trial runs with actual samples for testing purposes/quality assurance

Talent and Reach: The partner should have technical and commercial teams to provide the appropriate level of experience required to authoritatively advise on the features of their technology and its implementation. In the case of a global brand, the provider should have a global footprint. This includes global reach for delivery, servicing, technical support, dealing with customs, and regulatory expertise to handle regional and country-based compliance issues.

Implementation: An experienced authentication partner should be able to certify and conduct print trials with the company’s manufacturing printers. All manufacturing of security materials should be produced in a secure facility under a full chain-of-custody protocol. A security audit is the best way to determine this. The brand owner must be confident that appropriate physical security and auditing procedures are maintained in the potential partner’s facility. It is important to only work with a partner with quality accreditations appropriate for the subject matter and technologies involved.

Some potential partners might be great at strategy and planning and not-so-great at implementing those plans. It’s important that the partner provides extensive documentation of their experience in implementing a strategy, including a resume consisting of several multi-year customer relationships.

In addition, the partner must understand the company’s business inside and out, become an integrated part of the team, and extend that support to third-party vendors. Companies need a partner who is flexible enough to adapt to their culture, challenges and processes. A good implementation strategy should encompass:

• Execution across the entire global supply chain
• Training and enablement for all involved parties
• Flexibility to expand and grow with changing needs

Commitment: An authentication partner must be willing to see a company through the good times and challenging times, too. An ongoing relationship with the partner allows the company to stay one step ahead of counterfeit issues. An established, trusted strategy is the only way the brand protection program can sustain long-term success. It should include:

• Dedicated project manager to handle programs
• Security features testing
• Ability to retain sample programs to ensure consistency
• Ongoing reports and result interpretation that provide actionable insights
• Regular auditing of third-party vendors for proper use of security materials

Employing an effective brand protection solution brings a wide range of benefits to businesses. Improving sales and revenue is always important in any industry. By eliminating infringements and counterfeits, a company can increase revenue and market share.

For a more complete guide to brand protection- why it is necessary, how infringement harms brands and customers, how to develop and implement an effective program, and insights into the brand protection strategies of the future – download our Complete Brand Protection Guide.

Download the Guide

READ PART 1     |      READ PART 2     |      READ PART 3

About Authentix

As the authority in authentication solutions, Authentix can help brands create a customized plan to tackle counterfeit products from every angle, collect actionable data, and protect brands and consumers. Authentix works with each company to determine which brand protection solutions are right for their situation.

Authentix brings enhanced visibility and traceability to today’s complex global supply chains. For over 25 years, Authentix has provided clients with physical and software-enabled solutions to detect, mitigate, and prevent counterfeiting and other illicit trading activity for currency, excise taxable goods, and branded consumer products. Through a proven partnership model and sector expertise, clients experience custom solution design, rapid implementation, consumer engagement, and complete program management to ensure product safety, revenue protection, and consumer trust for the best known global brands on the market. Headquartered in Addison, Texas USA, Authentix, Inc. has offices in North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa serving clients worldwide.