Use a brand’s official website to check where it sells its products and whether it identifies authorised retailers. Reach that website independently, rather than assuming a link in a listing or a scanned code is trustworthy.

Look at the whole offer

Compare the description, price, seller identity and return arrangements. Treat inconsistencies as reasons to investigate. A low price alone does not prove an item is counterfeit, and a high price does not establish authenticity.

Keep the evidence

Save the listing, receipt, seller details and any correspondence. These records can help explain the transaction if you later need to contact the seller, marketplace or brand.

Check through the right channel

If the brand offers product verification, find its instructions through its official website. GS1’s guidance warns that a verification page linked from a barcode is not automatically trustworthy. A successful scan should not be treated as a universal guarantee.

If you remain unsure

Ask the brand for guidance and pause the purchase while you investigate. These checks are a way to reduce uncertainty; they cannot authenticate every product.

Sources & further reading

GS1 — Guidance on verification and copied codes

The post Before you buy, check the source appeared first on George Monemvasitis.

A barcode can identify a product record. That does not, on its own, establish that the physical object carrying it is genuine. GS1’s guidance explains that a counterfeiter may copy a QR code, even when the linked data is digitally signed.

What a digital signature adds

Digital signatures can help verify the origin and integrity of data. The remaining challenge is connecting those verified data to the specific physical product. Item-level identifiers and controls against copying can play a part, but their value depends on the complete system.

Where does the scan take you?

GS1 cautions against relying solely on verification software or a page recommended by the barcode itself. A convincing-looking destination can be part of the deception. Start from an independently verified brand website when looking for the correct authentication method.

A better question for brands

Instead of asking only whether a product has a code, ask what happens when that code is copied. The answer reveals more about the protection offered than the presence of the code alone.

Sources & further reading

GS1 — Digital signatures implementation guideline

The post A QR code is a starting point. Is it proof? appeared first on George Monemvasitis.

The OECD and EUIPO estimate that counterfeit and pirated goods accounted for up to 2.3% of global trade in 2021. Their 2025 report puts the value at USD 467 billion. These are estimates of international trade, not a count of every fake sold or a measure of today’s market.

Trust is part of the product

A genuine product comes with an expectation that its origin is what the seller claims. Counterfeiting breaks that connection. Consumers can struggle to know who made an item and where to turn when something goes wrong.

Protection is a shared task

For brands, anti-counterfeiting means looking beyond packaging and considering distribution, verification and how suspicious products are reported. For consumers, it starts with checking the seller and seeking information from the brand through an independently verified channel.

The question worth asking

How can a buyer connect the product in their hand to a trustworthy source? This blog will examine the technology and everyday practices that can help answer that question.

Sources & further reading

OECD/EUIPO — Mapping Global Trade in Fakes 2025

The post Why anti-counterfeiting matters beyond the brand appeared first on George Monemvasitis.