Continuing our series of articles on the strategic perspectives of leading brands in their fight against fakes and adulterated products, we turn our attention to Johnson & Johnson (J&J), one of the world's largest healthcare companies.

Traditional anti-counterfeiting printing techniques use enhanced specifications such as high resolution and small dimensions to provide security within static printed images for product authentication labelling and packaging. To enhance protection still further, dynamic print technologies are being developed. One such promising technology has recently been reported in the journal 'Light: Science & Applications' by a research group in Guangzhou, China.

Headquartered in Oberschleissheim, Germany, Schreiner Group is a globally active family-owned company known for its expertise in high-tech labels and functional parts, particularly in the healthcare and mobility sector. Authentication and Brand News™ spoke to Thomas Köberlein, President of the Schreiner ProTech and Pin Trust business unit, about the company's product portfolio, innovation, sustainability and vision for the future.

Soon, your fridge may notify you when your milk has gone bad without you having to open the door. Thanks to advances in printed electronics, this could become a reality.

Crane NXT has signed a definitive agreement with De La Rue to acquire its authentication business for £300 million, subject to customary adjustments.

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) has completed a two-year pilot study aimed at ensuring supply chain integrity and fuel authenticity for drop-in green fuels (ie. renewable fuels made from biomass sources that can be blended with petroleum products).

Now in its 17th year, the World Trademark Review (WTR) report ‘Anti- Counterfeiting and Online Brand Enforcement Global Guide’ combines strategic analysis with country-by-country brand protection practices.

The year 2024 has introduced notable advances and shifts in election authentication technologies globally. Earlier in the year, we looked at the US state of Georgia’s move towards watermarked ballot papers and away from the use of QR codes to count ballots. This month, we describe how the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Namibia are planning to secure their upcoming elections.

At Authentication & Brand News™, we regularly track new government regulations and initiatives that may impact authentication. For example, in July, we reported on the California watermarking standards bill for differentiating AI-generated from human-generated content, as well as the EU adoption of a product sustainability rule directing the establishment of digital product passports. This month, four new regulations have caught our attention.

Anticounterfeit technology provider TrueMed has announced that a top- 10 global pharmaceutical company has selected TrueMed’s AI-driven solution to strengthen its counterfeit drug investigations.

UAE-based E7 Group, a provider of commercial printing, security solutions, sustainable packaging, and logistics services, has announced a significant AED 182 million (approximately $50 million) investment in its security solutions division, E7 Security.

Intergraf's recent report 'Comparing Print and Digital Media’, provides an overview of studies comparing print and digital communication tools in the context of sustainability, efficiency, and consumer preference. However, some of the findings of the report are also relevant for authentication.

This article outlines K&B's evolving strategy, recent partnerships and core technologies, all contributing to what the company calls its ‘Authentication Solution Portfolio’ – a portfolio of non-invasive authentication solutions.

Post-COVID, everyone, including counterfeiters, learned how to use QR codes more effectively and how powerful and persuasive the online environment can be, including for the repetitive launching of small online outlets with fakes.

According to Statista, the e-cigarette market is expected to generate $26 billion in revenue in 2024, with a projected global compound annual growth rate of 3.93% between 2024-2029. However, the vape industry, like other sectors, is having to deal with counterfeit products.

State security printers in Asia are transforming as a result of a fast-changing economic and technological environment, from currency and secure document producers to digital identification and authentication providers.

Marks & Spencer, a leading UK retailer, has teamed up with Polytag, a recycling technology company, to track the journey of its drinks bottles, cartons, and other plastic packaging. Meanwhile, India is grappling with the widespread counterfeiting of extended producer responsibility certificates by plastic waste recyclers.

By 2025, more than 100 million smartphone users in the US will use a QR code scanner on their mobile devices, compared to 70.6 million in 2020. But how can citizens be sure that what they are scanning is legitimate?

Authentix has announced an exclusive partnership with ARMOR- IIMAK, a global player in the thermal transfer ribbon printing industry, to provide brand owners and their authorised contract manufacturers with a new covert security ink available in thermal transfer ribbon format.

The Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) recently organised a webinar titled ‘Authenticity Matters: Protecting FMCG & Nutraceuticals from Counterfeits’, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat counterfeiting in India.