At the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards conference in Bournemouth last week (Wed 1 July 2015), Leon Livermore, CEO of the CTSI presented the inaugural National Markets Group Awards.

The National Markets Group for IP Protection (NMG), which consists of representatives from industry, enforcement and government, works in partnership to reduce the availability of counterfeit and pirated goods at markets, car boot sales and social media platforms such as Facebook.

Recent initiatives coordinated by the NMG and its partners have set about tackling counterfeiting activity at these locations.

Team Award
Camden Council Trading Standards, which has initiated an holistic approach to reducing the level of counterfeiting activity at the five markets in the London borough, scooped the NMG’s Team Award.

In carrying out a number of raid actions, as well as awareness raising activities amongst consumers and market operators, this partnership with the NMG and the market operator has seen a transformation of the Camden market place and made it a safer and more equitable trading environment for consumers and local businesses.

Individual Award
The Individual Award was presented to Sharon Penketh of the National Trading Standards e-Crime Team for her coordination of the recent Facebook initiative OP JASPER, which saw NMG members partnering with over 60 Local Trading Standards Authorities to tackle the threat from the sale of counterfeit and pirated goods on the social media platform.

The month-long operation saw the removal from Facebook of over 4500 images of counterfeit goods and led to 25 active investigations against traders selling an array of counterfeit goods consumers.

Association Award
The National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) was chosen by the NMG to receive its 2015 Association Award with special recognition to its Chief Executive, Graham Wilson OBE, for his long standing support and promotion of the Real Deal initiative, which sees market operators and Trading Standards departments working together, through a voluntary charter, to ensure that markets are kept free from counterfeit goods. The Award will be formally presented to Graham Wilson at the NABMA National Conference in September.

Martin Harland, Principal Officer at Camden Trading Standards said:
“For Camden Trading Standards to win two team ‘inaugural’ awards for our IP enforcement work from NMG and ACG is fantastic news.  With the addition of team member David Hunt’s individual ‘highly commended’ award, they are very well received in recognition of our new successful working partnership with the ACG and the National Markets Group. This new way of working is now having an effect on the supply of counterfeit goods in the borough’s markets and shops which can only improve the local economy in the borough for business as well as for residents and visitors. It is a terrifically tremendous morale booster for a small team of four officers.”

 

Mike Andrews, National Coordinator, National Trading Standards e-Crime Team said:
“The National Trading Standards eCrime Team, working with our partners in the National Markets Group, are taking a robust stance on criminals who exploit social media to sell counterfeit and dangerous products. We are delighted that Sharon’s hard work has been recognised by the Group. Sharon has demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and diligence and fully deserves this award.”

 

Graham Wilson, Chief Executive of NABMA said:
“NABMA is delighted to support the Real Deal campaign and I hope our partnership working will continue into the future.”

 

Graham Mogg, Chair of the NMG said:
“Since its inception in 2008, the NMG and the Real Deal campaign have been at the forefront of the battle to reduce the availability of counterfeit and pirated goods in the market place.  We are proud of our achievements and even more delighted that we have been able to recognise the outstanding contribution of the award winners in this way.”
Featured image(left to right): Sharon Penketh, National Trading Standards e-Crime Team ; Graham Mogg, Chair of the National Markets Group; Martin Harland and David Hunt of Camden Council Trading Standards.