Middle East based Automotive Brand Protection Coalition announces launch of website and leaflet

Set up in 2002 the Coalition has to date concentrated on meeting with officials to discuss ways to stop counterfeits getting in to the market place and providing training to government bodies that enables them to identify and stop infringing goods.

Consumer Education
However that is only part of the fight. Educating the consumer about the dangers of counterfeit goods thus enabling them to make more informed choices and therefore purchases' is recognised the world over as an essential part of the fight against counterfeiters.

'Unfortunately at the moment there is not a culture amongst the majority of consumers in the Middle East to question why a particular branded product is so much cheaper in one outlet than another. It is this lack of consumer awareness coupled with the desire to save money but still to be seen with the 'desirable brands' that creates a perfect market for the counterfeiters,' a spokesperson for the Coalition said.

The Middle East has one of the highest car ownership levels in the world. It is also a market that is evolving with cars being kept for longer periods than before, especially in Saudi Arabia. This means that the demand for spare parts is growing across the region. Unfortunately this demand is coupled with relatively low public awareness about safe maintenance, a desire for cheap repairs and garages and parts shops that meet this demand with substandard workmanship and parts.

'It was the realisation that there was a genuine lack of readily available and easy to understand information about the dangers of using counterfeit car parts written specifically for the Middle East market, that lead to the development of our website and the production of the leaflet. Both the website and the leaflet are the first of its kind in the Middle East and probably the world. They have been designed to be as accessible as possible and to provide information in a clear and concise way. '

The leaflet has been printed in Arabic and English initially and is being distributed in Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

There is also an e-mail address and phone number that will enable the public or garage owners to report counterfeit goods.

'These two activities mark an important milestone for the Coalition. It shows the counterfeiters that we are serious in our message and that by educating the public we will reduce the demand for their dangerous products,' said the spokesperson.