Marked by key acquisitions - 2024 will be remembered for significant consolidation in the authentication industry (see ABN, Nov 2024). While mergers and acquisitions are good for growth, so are technical collaboration and partnerships combining and complementing each other's expertise to create more substantial authentication features, technologies, and systems. The article views recent developments in this light.

The US Postal Service (USPS) has introduced a newly redesigned money order with a red, white, and blue colour palette and enhanced security features.

There is a common belief that traceability solutions alone will eliminate counterfeiting and simplify product authentication. However, while item-level traceability enhances product transparency, the most commonly adopted technologies come with vulnerabilities, especially in terms of authentication.

This article looks at the newly created, massive illicit market in vapor products originating mainly from China and sold in the United States. Despite being banned in both countries, brands like Elf Bar, Geek Bar, and Lost Mary continue to circulate. What’s more, they carry authentication labels that falsely suggest legitimacy, further exacerbating illicit trade.

At the recent CES 2025 consumer electronics event in Las Vegas, two companies, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) and Linxens, unveiled their new smart label solutions, marking a significant advance in brand protection and supply chain integrity.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released its 2024 Review of Notorious Markets, highlighting the global online and physical markets for trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.

In April 2024, China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) launched a pilot programme to implement a ‘unique electronic ID’ code on drugs and medical consumables, enabling comprehensive traceability across the supply chain.

International security technology group Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) has launched the G+D Smart Label, a second-generation tracking solution that transforms any package into an IoT (Internet of Things) device.

As the new year begins, it’s an ideal time to look at forthcoming events in authentication, security printing, tax stamps, and brand protection.

John Anderson, Chairman of the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group until last year, died in early January after a difficult illness.

Being unique is something we value in people, products, and even security. When something is so unique that it can’t be copied, it becomes a powerful tool to fight counterfeiting. Researchers are now creating unclonable patterns – designs that in theory can’t be reproduced – to protect products and prove they’re genuine.

Building on recent search-and-seizure operations in South Africa to crack down on counterfeits of its Reinzosil silicone sealant for automotive components, Victor Reinz® (a Dana brand) has now introduced high-security ‘Dana Secure’ labels on its products, accompanied by a customer awareness campaign.

At High Security Printing™ Asia, held in Thailand, IDEMIA Smart Identity launched a new security feature called IDQR.

Report confirms falsification of medical devices in EU; election, democracy, and authentication; International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) launches Security Image Register (SIR) for the authentication industry....

As we move into 2025, this overview highlights trends and developments that caught the attention of Authentication & Brand News™ (ABN) in 2024 and that could continue to shape the industry.

A paper published by researchers at Ulster University, the University of Central Lancashire, and Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, warns that prohibitions on the sale of pill presses and die punches, designed to restrict the production of counterfeit medicines, may be undermined by new technologies like 3D printing.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) has embarked on the next chapter in its history, with a new name reflecting its commitment to serving a broader ecosystem of optical technologies. That new name is the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA).

In the continuing fight against counterfeiting, eInk and ePaper technologies are emerging as vital tools, combining dynamic visual capabilities with robust anticounterfeiting features. While both technologies are distinct in their operational principles, in this article we will explore their joint ability to offer secure, flexible, and energy-efficient authentication solutions.

The Amazon rainforest, beautiful beaches, the song ‘Garota de Ipanema’, race car drivers and football players all come to mind when one thinks of Brazil. Unfortunately, the enormity and diversity of a country the size of Brazil, and the challenges that arise from trying to govern it, have given way to a country that is also known for high rates of crime and violence.

Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has urged lawmakers to expedite the passage of the Anticounterfeit Goods and Services (ACG&S) Bill 2023 before the end of the year.