Pro-Marka to launch 2003 campaign against imitation products

The Polish Association of Brand Products Manufacturers (PSWPM), Pro-Marka, announced plans that from early next year they will step up their action against counterfeit and imitation products. A campaign, which will be carried out with the assist of police, will be chiefly aimed at selected commercial centers, which encourage manufacturers to produce imitation brand products and sell them under the brand name of the shop. According to the association, the products which are at highest risk include alcohol and cosmetics. "The production of counterfeits in these sectors is cheap, while the profits are huge," said Piotr Kwiatkowski of Pro-Marka, which has been fighting such operations since 1999. The campaign planned for 2003 will draw on the experience of Spain, where professional systems were introduced which automatically compare products, taking into account the colors and packaging. Pro-Marka, which associates 50 brand products manufacturers, celebrates its 5th anniversary today. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) A.K.