The Trading Partner Alliance Announces Release of CPG Industry Brand Protection Report
Winston-Salem, NC and Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) February 20, 2014 -- The Trading Partner Alliance of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) today announced the release of the 2013 best practices guideline “Brand Protection and Supply Chain Integrity: Methods for Counterfeit Detection, Prevention and Deterrence,” completed in collaboration with Inmar and Authentix.
The guideline is the result of research and analysis completed by Inmar, Authentix and a working committee comprised of industry leaders from manufacturers and retailers, and is based upon an extensive survey of global CPG manufacturers and national retailers.
This guideline acts as a call to action to stop the flow of counterfeit consumer products in commerce and a commitment to the development of industry recommendations. The best practices provide guidance for manufacturers and retailers on how to minimize the financial and reputational damage associated with counterfeiting of genuine branded products. Also included are recommendations for a response protocol when counterfeit incidents occur and a benchmarking tool for assessing anti-counterfeit practices that manufacturers and retailers can use to develop effective brand protection programs. Plus, there are case studies, risk assessment tools for the CPG manufacturing and retail industries and results from a consumer survey about counterfeit goods.
“As the voice of food retail, FMI is working with its trading partners to assume leadership roles in the fight against counterfeit goods entering the retail supply chain,” Mark Baum, FMI’s senior vice president of industry relations and chief collaboration officer, said. “This study pinpoints the opportunities that retailers and manufacturers have to reduce the chance for counterfeit products from reaching shelves and finding their way into consumers' homes. We must be vigilant about safeguarding our supply chain from counterfeiters and step up our efforts to stop organized retail theft."
Jim Flannery, GMA executive vice president, operations and industry collaboration, notes, “Counterfeit food and non-food CPG products are a nearly $1 trillion problem for manufacturers, their retail customers and consumers. When inauthentic products wind up in the hands of consumers, they lose confidence in the stores and brands they trust. This guide is intended to share best practices with manufacturers and retailers to prevent that from happening, from production and packaging to purchasing and stocking.”
“Companies invest millions of dollars in creating differentiated products and marketing their brands and need to ensure that the brand promise is being delivered as designed in the marketplace,” said Ryon Packer, chief sales and marketing officer and general manager of brand at Authentix, Inc. “There are established and effective solutions for protecting brand equity and efficiently verifying product authenticity and channel integrity. This guide is a tremendous resource bringing current research together with proven best practices to help brand owners achieve a return on their R&D and marketing investments.”
The guideline incorporates a broad view of perspectives and insights from cross-functional teams within leading FMI and GMA member firms, academic and industry thought leaders, as well as industry expertise from Inmar and Authentix.
“This comprehensive guideline will assist CPG manufacturers and retailers in the development and implementation of brand protection and anti-counterfeit best practices from raw material sourcing to product withdrawals. The best practices address various points of counterfeit infiltration into the legitimate supply chain,” said Steve Dollase, president, Inmar Supply Chain Network. “As the counterfeiting of branded goods continues to grow, this collaborative project provides a comprehensive playbook for all trading partners to implement systemic changes to reduce and prevent incidence of counterfeit goods entering the legitimate supply chain.”
“Brand Protection and Supply Chain Integrity: Methods for Counterfeit Detection, Prevention and Deterrence” is available for download at this link. (http://www.fmi.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/search?action=1&Product_productNumber=3124)
###
Authentix® provides brand protection, excise tax recovery, and supply chain security solutions to governments and brand owners around the world. Authentix safeguards clients in the oil and gas, healthcare, and consumer goods industries from counterfeiting, diversion, smuggling, and adulteration issues. In addition, Authentix protects the currency of multiple industry leading central banks. Innovative nano-scale engineering, serialization authentication expertise, and cutting-edge sensor knowledge help Authentix create effective customized solutions that address each client's needs. To date, Authentix has helped recover $11 billion in lost revenue for our clients. Authentix.com
Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit http://www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit http://www.fmifoundation.org.
Based in Washington, D.C., the Grocery Manufacturers Association is the voice of more than 300 leading food, beverage and consumer product companies that sustain and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe. Founded in 1908, GMA is an active, vocal advocate for its member companies and a trusted source of information about the industry and the products consumers rely on and enjoy every day. The association and its member companies are committed to meeting the needs of consumers through product innovation, responsible business practices and effective public policy solutions developed through a genuine partnership with policymakers and other stakeholders.
In keeping with its founding principles, GMA helps its members produce safe products through a strong and ongoing commitment to scientific research, testing and evaluation and to providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry in the United States generates sales of $2.1 trillion annually, employs 14 million workers and contributes $1 trillion in added value to the economy every year. Visit GMA online at http://www.gmaonline.org.
Inmar is a technology company that operates intelligent commerce networks. Our platforms connect offline and online transactions in real time for leading retailers, manufacturers and trading partners across multiple industries who rely on Inmar to securely manage billions of dollars in transactions. Our Promotions, Supply Chain and Healthcare platforms enable commerce, generate meaningful data and offer growth-minded leaders actionable analytics and execution with real-time visibility. Founded in 1980, Inmar is headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with locations throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. For more information about Inmar’s products and services, please contact 866.440.6917 or visit http://www.inmar.com.
Sharon Joyner-Payne, Inmar, Inc., +1 (336) 631-7663, [email protected]
Share this article