Food Adulteration

Radio Mensa offers this podcast about the history of food adulteration, a sibling of today's counterfeiting. The podcast focuses on 19th century Britain, where the foolishly class-obsessed masses aspired "to eat the white bread of the rich and to feed their children an array of multi-colored candies once the preserve of the wealthy, but where almost no one asks how their bread could be so cheap yet so white or why their children's sweets can be colored in shades not known to nature."

Consuming the counterfeits of such luxuries was often fatal. Adulteration of beer was also a major problem, and it wasn't until after 1820 when the Western World made a concerted effort to combat the "swindlers" of food adulteration.

Chinese Counterfeiting Culture

Writing in the Asia Times, Peter Navarro takes a fascinating look at factors contributing to the pervasive Chinese counterfeiting problem. Using the problem of faulty chargers causing fires and electrical hazard, Navarro catalogues the widespread problem, from chargers to handbags to counterfeit drugs. Ending Chinese counterfeiting would be almost impossible, as he cites estimates that counterfeiting activity accounts for 20% of the total Chinese GDP growth, with significant curtailment likely to cause economic instability or collapse. But the problem is even deeper - it is cultural. The kicker:

These economic and political motives for Chinese piracy are strongly reinforced by a set of cultural norms that flow from an amoral fusion of a 60-year old Maoism and a centuries-old Confucianism. The core problem is that the government of the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949 on the abolition of private property. Thus, there exists several generations of Chinese executives who truly believe that, as former US ambassador James Lilley has noted, "any technology in the world is the property of the masses."

When one adds to this Maoist version of property rights a large dose of Confucianism, the counterfeiting and piracy picture comes much more sharply into focus. Since ancient times, Confucianism has revered, rather than reviled, imitation. The result is the perfect economic, political, and cultural laboratory for a counterfeiting and piracy boom.

Read the whole thing.

Canadian Authorities Seize Counterfeit Hair Irons

Much is done in the name of beauty. But using counterfeit hair irons to look chic on the cheap? Authorities in the Quebec City region of Canada say some consumers unwittingly did just that; the police announced a seizure of 4,500 fake hair straightening irons last Tuesday. The raid was held on January 15 after a months-long investigation beginning in March 2007.

Click here to read the full story on our Style Blog, and find out why the effects of fakes on the fritz are not so beautiful.

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Fake Contraception Poses Risks, say Authorities

Hundreds of allegedly fake condoms have been found and seized by officials in the United Kingdom this week. The fakes, which fall under the jurisdiction of Lambeth council in South London, are three-packs falsely branded as Durex. They pose a huge risk to consumers, as they are more likely to tear and can otherwise be unreliable.

"These counterfeits cannot be relied upon to protect people against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy," says Lib Peck, cabinet member for environment and culture.

Trading officials have not released a list of where such fakes might be sold, simply saying that shops in Brixton and Herne Hill have been raided. Consumers are urged to check the serial number on the product, and remain aware of the issue.

Electrical product counterfeiters pay heavy price in Canadian courts

NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 22, 2007 -- Underwriters Laboratories (UL) announced today a guilty plea obtained in the case of an Ontario import-export firm stemming from previous charges against two individuals by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in connection with the sale and distribution of dangerous consumer electrical products bearing counterfeit UL marks.

The sentence was imposed by Ontario Court Judge Ramez Khawly on April 10, 2007 on Cana Import Export Ltd., which was found guilty on two counts of fraud for dealing in counterfeit products. Each count carries a fine of C$20,000 with six months to pay or three months in jail for default on the first count, and one year to pay or three months in jail on the second count.

Saleem Khan, 59, of Toronto, was identified as director for Cana responsible for payment of the fines or subject to imprisonment if found in default by the court. Khan was also found guilty on two counts of possession of counterfeit products, with one-year probation under a plea agreement. He and a relative were arrested in 2005 after a two-month investigation.

During the initial search of Cana's outlet and warehouse in Etobicoke, Ontario, police seized over 500 electrical power strips, nearly 1,000 orange heavy-duty extension cords, and 5,000 various household extension cords. Samples of the bogus electrical products--which were determined to bear forged UL safety certification markings--failed standard UL safety tests.

Of particular concern was a white extension cord, manufactured with thin telephone wire and a brittle, easily broken plastic coating, which likely retailed for a few dollars but cost far less to produce. When tested by UL, the extension cord melted and caught fire within a few minutes. The seized outlet strips were also found to have undersized wiring and no surge suppression. They were further found to have reverse polarity wiring, which is a shock hazard, and a plastic casing that ignited immediately upon testing since it was not made of fire-resistant material.

While only a very small percentage of products and/or packaging may be found to bear a counterfeit UL mark, such products have not undergone UL's testing and certification process and thus could pose significant safety risks to consumers.

Counterfeit products are typically high-volume, low-cost items such as extension cords and power strips, primarily manufactured in Asia and sold through discount retailers and unconventional outlets such as flea markets.

"We appreciate the responsiveness and hard work of the RCMP in helping to bring about these successful prosecutions, which reinforce UL's zero-tolerance policy toward counterfeiting as we aggressively defend the integrity of UL certification marks worldwide," said Brian Monks, Vice President of Anti-Counterfeiting Operations.

In addition to posing a threat to public safety and the individual consumers who purchase them, counterfeit products defraud retailers who are selling legitimate products and undermines public confidence in the safety certification process. Counterfeiting is estimated to account for five to seven percent of global trade, or about USD$500 billion each year. Internationally, Interpol has indicated that organized crime and terrorist groups are now involved in the trade of counterfeit products, with profits from these sales financing other areas of criminal and terrorist activities.

In addition to the RCMP, UL works with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and provincial safety authorities across Canada. UL also works with U.S. Customs, the FBI, state and local authorities, the World Customs Organization (WCO), Interpol, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the International Trademark Association (INTA), and the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC).

Source: Underwriter's Laboratories