- Vaping leaders accentuate long-standing stance against
counterfeit and illicit products worldwide
- Since mid-2021, almost 230 counterfeit manufacturers have
been shut down in partnership with authorities
- Cross-border regulatory collaboration undergoes with
counterfeits confiscated and trademark litigations initiated in
various markets
LONDON, April 26,
2024 /CNW/ -- World-leading vaping brands ELFBAR
and LOST MARY announced the latest outcomes from their continued
global action against counterfeits and crackdown on illicit
products.
"Both brands have implemented an extensive strategy proactively
involving stakeholders across various sectors, including
regulators, trade associations, wholesalers, retailers, media
outlets and consumer groups, to jointly fight against the illicit
vape proliferation," said Victor
Xiao, Global Vice President of ELFBAR and LOST MARY, on 26
April, the World Intellectual Property Day.
ELFBAR and LOST MARY reveal their efforts to contain the spread
of illicit vapes, which encompass measures including, but not
limited to, proactively working with regulators worldwide,
advocating for robust enforcement, bringing trademark infringement
to court, shutting down counterfeit manufacturers, scanning and
spotting fake products in retail channels, engaging retail groups,
and launching public awareness campaigns.
In the UK: Tackling illicit trade on retail end
ELFBAR and LOST MARY are delivering support to the campaigns
launched by the Association of Convenience Stores and the Scottish
Grocers' Federation — UK's convenience store trade
associations.
Through the partnership between the FACT, a pioneer of IP
protection, providing high-quality investigations, intelligence and
digital forensics, retailers are encouraged to contribute by
reporting illicit vapes to Crimestoppers or their local Trading
Standards team — part of the strategy both brands have followed,
along with efforts focused on raising awareness of illegal vapes
with the support of FACT.
"To further fortify our collective efforts against illicit
vapes, we also advocate a licensing scheme to ensure a structured
system for verifying retailers," said Eve
Peters, Director of Government Affairs for both vaping
brands in the UK.
"These are just some of the many steps we've taken to uphold our
commitment to delivering the optimum possible vaping experience for
adult users in their journey to quitting smoking," she added.
In China: Busting
counterfeit supply chain
ELFBAR and LOST MARY have long been supportive of the
anti-counterfeit efforts by the Chinese authorities since
June 2021, when the brands started
this campaign.
As of now, 229 factories, warehouses, traders, and logistics
service providers involved in counterfeit trade have been shut down
nationwide as part of the enforcement. Several millions and
counting of counterfeit ELFBAR, EBDESIGN, and LOST MARY vapes have
been seized.
In 2022 alone, both brands initiated 118 criminal litigations
against counterfeit product manufacturers, many of which have since
moved to Southeast Asia. This has
caused a surge in counterfeit ELFBAR-, EBDESIGN-, and LOST
MARY-branded vapes being assembled and smuggled to various markets,
notably the US.
In Southeast Asia and the
US: Alerting rampant counterfeits
To stay abreast of the global anti-counterfeit drive,
cross-border collaborations are being forged with authorities in
intellectual property capacity across various Southeast Asian
markets.
In October 2023, law enforcement
in Vietnam's Bắc Ninh confiscated
and destroyed over 103,000 vaping products, including 97,000 fake
ELFBAR vapes, in a warehouse. In a separate raid of a counterfeit
manufacturer, more than 108,000 vapes were seized and destroyed, of
which many are EBDESIGN-branded.
Outcomes from the two serial enforcements revealed only a
fraction of the widespread counterfeits manufactured and smuggled
in some markets.
ELFBAR has repeatedly confirmed that ELFBAR- and
EBDESIGN-branded products currently available in the US are not
manufactured, shipped, supplied, or marketed by the brand. ELFBAR
and EBDESIGN have ceased to supply products to the US since
May 2023, leaving a big market vacuum
now filled with counterfeits and clones.
Multiple global markets: Spotting counterfeits on retail
end
Since September 2022, ELFBAR and
LOST MARY have established multi-layered cooperation with
regulators in a firm stance against counterfeit vapes in markets,
including the United Kingdom,
the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the United
Arab Emirates, and more.
Tens of thousands of counterfeit ELFBAR and LOST MARY units have
since been confiscated in 104 retail stores where illicit products
were found.
Years of efforts taken in Russia have seen a series of trademark
infringement cases initiated in court, with 1,217 and 29 favourable
rulings received for ELFBAR and LOST MARY, respectively.
"While we align with regulators in various markets to reasonably
regulate the vaping industry and foster a fair and equitable
marketplace, we also urge adult users to identify and authenticate
the product prior to purchase cautiously," said Victor Xiao, adding that the brands call for
more effective measures to be taken against clone manufacturing and
smuggling along the upstream of trade routes.
"Smuggled products contain as much untraceable substance for
users as they jeopardise the industry's longevity overall," he
commented.
About ELFBAR
ELFBAR is a pioneer and innovator in the global vaping industry.
Since its inception in 2018, it has been exploring new frontiers by
providing a distinct and diverse vaping experience with innovation
at its core.
ELFBAR stays committed to youth access prevention and
sustainable growth in its unwavering responsibility as a leading
brand favoured and used by tens of millions of adult smokers and
ex-smokers on their cessation journey worldwide.
For more information about ELFBAR as a brand and its products,
please visit elfbar.com.
About LOST MARY
Global vaping innovator LOST MARY is dedicated to discovering
the true value of vaping, setting the industry's trends, and
benchmarking product quality.
For years, LOST MARY has progressed in breaking free from
traditional product forms, navigating unchartered innovation
territories, and bringing the best possible user experience with
new designs, technologies and flavours.
Since its inception in 2021, LOST MARY has expanded its presence
to over 50 markets worldwide, where tens of millions of adult users
prefer its products. According to third-party data, LOST MARY is
among the top vape brands in many global markets in terms of brand
awareness and sales volume.
As of now, the brand owns over 200 patents in multiple markets
globally.
For more information about LOST MARY and its products, please
visit our website at lostmary.com.
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SOURCE ELFBAR; LOST MARY