The UK’s Royal Mail is investigating a recent case of mass counterfeiting of its new barcoded stamps.

Products are already starting to appear in this sector. For example, Authentication & Brand News, March 2024, contained an article on sustainable tamper-evident closure seals.

This article explores recent developments around holography technology, from combining origination processes and using AI for hologram detection to developing novel methods for controlling light polarisation.

In the digital age, the security of electronic devices is paramount, not only to safeguard sensitive data but also to ensure the integrity of the hardware itself.

Continuing our series on brand protection programmes implemented by some of the world’s biggest brand owners, this month we turn our attention to the Chinese technology company Xiaomi, one of the youngest companies on the Fortune Global 500 and among the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world.

Crane NXT, whose subsidiaries include Crane Currency, Crane Authentication and Crane Payment Innovations, has announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Investcorp Technology Partners to acquire the optical technologies and brand protection specialist OpSec Security for $270 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments.

According to estimates, 30 to 40% of all African qualifications are falsified and/or fake. The article explores recent regional developments, combating fraudulent degrees and certificates.

While they say no to barcodes, Georgia voters could see a watermark on their ballot beginning in November, a move Republican supporters said would assure citizens that their ballots are authentic.

The Third Patent Plate is a technological solution that combines physical and digital security measures on a self-adhesive label, applied to the inside of a vehicle’s windshield.

One of the fundamental security features used in manufacturing lottery ticket paper is advanced printing techniques such as watermarking. Further, lottery tickets often incorporate tamper-evident features, which include special adhesives designed to reveal any attempts at ticket tampering or alteration.

As sustainability becomes an ever-present item on board meeting agendas, we notice the emergence of many new eco-friendly security solution developments, including sustainable closure seals that provide tamper evidence.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has unveiled its latest targeted awareness campaign, designed to help tackle consumer demand for counterfeit goods.

Interview between Authentication & Brand News and Judy Moon, Digimarc, Vice President

Continuing our series of articles on the strategic perspectives of leading brands in their fight against fakes, this month we turn our attention to Novartis, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, and the fourth largest in terms of revenue in 2022.

Meta Materials, working on advanced materials and nanotechnology, now releases its new product – NANO™ protect. With this, META has enhanced its authentication portfolio – NANO™ protect and LiveOptik® for brand protection and LumaChrome and QUANTUM™ Stripe for banknotes.

Following the expansion of the secure registry of holographic images and its relaunch as the Security Image Register (SIR) last month, the IHMA has announced it will be holding a webinar focusing on the SIR and its benefits for suppliers and their customers on 17 April.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) is strengthening its presence in China to boost growth and promote the technology’s benefits to brand owners, government authorities and sector suppliers.

Traceability solution provider Aware claimed to have achieved the ‘world’s first’ fully infield-traceable recycled polyester.

The system, proposed in 2011 and aimed at combating counterfeit drugs and improving transparency in drug exports and pharmaceutical supply chain, has been meeting repeated challenges stemming from difficulties within the industry and representation from the industry leaders. Technical obstacles and concerns regarding system readiness have contributed to this hurdle.

While counterfeiting is not a new problem, many sports Brands are switching to innovations such as DNA taggants, NFC, blockchain and NFT applications.