Manchester Markets say no to counterfit goods

Manchester Markets was the first market authority in the country to officially sign the recently launched Real Deal national charter on Wednesday 28 October at Manchester's Arndale Market. The charter is part of an initiative to keep dealers in counterfeit and other illicit goods from UK markets and car boot sales.

Manchester Markets, trading standards and trademark owners have been working closely together to eradicate the sale of counterfeit goods from the city's markets.

Three years ago, there were problems at some of the city's markets which, like many in the country, had been infiltrated by organised criminal gangs selling counterfeit clothing, tobacco, illicit DVDs and other goods. Legitimate traders and market workers were being intimidated, and the reputation of the markets and law-abiding traders were becoming tarnished.

In response, Manchester Markets and trading standards joined forces to tackle the problem and all the council-run markets now have stringent vetting procedures in place to ensure that illicit traders are kept at bay.

Commenting on Manchester's adoption of the Real Deal charter, Liz Bales, Director General of the Industry Trust for IP Awareness, which initiated the campaign said:

“Manchester City Council's approach is a beacon of good practice and a fantastic example of how, even in the toughest circumstances, coordinated teamwork can successfully beat the counterfeit con-men, ensuring that the city's markets are safe, fake-free environments in which to shop and to trade. Their efforts deserve to be applauded and I'm pleased that the Council is leading the way by becoming the first in the country to officially adopt the national Real Deal charter.”

Mark Legomski, Head of Markets said: "We are proud of our reputation for selling quality goods and we take our role to maintain these standards very seriously. We very much welcome the Real Deal charter, and hope that other markets and organisations around the country also sign up to help eradicate the problem of illegal traders for good."

Manchester markets will now be able to display the Real Deal logo, which signals that the organisers of the market are committed to tackling criminality so that consumers can shop with confidence.

Anyone who wishes to report information on the sale of counterfeit goods can call Manchester Trading Standards on 0161 234 1555 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.