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.

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.

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.

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.

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....

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

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).

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.

Since the late 19th century, fingerprinting has been an indispensable tool for identity verification and forensic investigation. After the initial idea of cataloguing to allow comparisons between prints for purposes of identification was formulated by Sir Francis Galton, fingerprinting became the first biometric measure accepted globally for criminal investigations. This approach provided a standardised method, eventually leading to extensive fingerprint databases used in law enforcement.

In 2024, Japan captured global attention with its advances in anticounterfeiting. The Land of the Rising Sun, known for blending tradition with technology, is setting global security standards in ensuring that everything from currency to cosmetics remains genuine. This article describes recent developments.

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed an innovative metasurface that exhibits distinct optical responses based on the direction of incoming light1. Named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, these metasurfaces can manipulate light differently depending on the direction it comes from. This unique ability could help to authenticate secure communications.

The world’s first multilateral crypto-stamp has been issued by postal authorities in Luxembourg, Austria, Netherlands, and Belgium, as a limited edition, marking the fact that these digital-physical collectors’ items are continuing to gain traction.

Digimarc Corporation, a NASDAQ-listed provider of digital watermarking technologies, has announced new developments in two main areas: brand protection and plastics recycling.

Scientists at the John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Australia, have developed a technique for ‘fingerprinting’ lithium, a key ingredient in energy storage systems and rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles.

Throughout 2024, major brands announced acquisitions, signalling industry consolidation and a growing focus on expanding authentication and identity security portfolios. This article examines some of the key acquisitions and highlights how diversification and innovation drive sector growth.

TotalEnergies Lubrifiants has partnered with SCRIBOS (part of the KURZ group) to implement its ValiGate® Direct Print solution on lubricants.

Haelixa and Italy’s leading fashion retailer OVS have renewed their cotton traceability partnership for a second year. Using Haelixa’s DNA marker technology, cotton grown in Italy is marked at the gin, close to the farm.

Earlier this year, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was warning that deepfakes – ie. video, audio and image content that seem real but are actually manipulated with AI – had been used to try to influence election results

Following De La Rue’s announcement, a few months ago, that it was in discussions with several parties interested in acquiring one or both of its business divisions – Authentication and Currency – the company has now entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its Authentication division to Crane NXT, for £300 million.

According to experts from Brand Monitor, an online and offline market surveillance company, the demand for counterfeits of specific brands is generated not so much by end consumers as by retailers, who tend to piggyback off the marketing campaigns and reputation of brand owners, and draw in consumers with the temptation of lower prices.

Continuing our series of articles on the strategic perspectives of leading brands in their fight against counterfeit and adulterated products, this month we feature Chugai Pharmaceutical, one of Japan’s top five pharma companies, and a member of Swiss healthcare multinational Roche.

Just when we thought we were getting to know what generative AI was, a more advanced kind of AI is attracting attention in the brand protection world: the agentic kind. What’s more, agentic AI for brand protection is being used to eradicate brand infringements exacerbated by its generative counterpart.

Following De La Rue’s announcement, a few months ago, that it was in discussions with several parties interested in acquiring one or both of its business divisions – Authentication and Currency – the company has now entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its Authentication division to Crane NXT, for £300 million.

Work has now begun on the programme for the next Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™, which will take place from 7-9 April 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Criminal activities involving counterfeit licence plates are increasing. In the United States, temporary plates have been misused for criminal activities, while in countries like Bolivia, the UK, France, and Australia, thousands of fake plates are reported annually.

Securikett has unveiled new security labels featuring a cut indicator designed specifically for online shipping.

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.

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.

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 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).

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.

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.

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.

A small label maker in Japan, Nakagawa Industry, has developed an anticounterfeting thread called Shirushi (meaning ‘mark’ or ‘sign’), which is printed with a brand’s name and woven into labels.

Recent investigations have revealed a concerning trend of counterfeit medicines infiltrating India’s pharmaceutical supply chain and hospitals. Incidents across various regions have highlighted the pervasive issue of spurious drugs circulating widely, from the national capital, New Delhi, to major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, and rural areas.

VDMA, the largest network organisation for mechanical engineering in Germany and Europe, has published its new study ‘Industrial Security and Product Piracy 2024’. The study reveals a significant decrease in the number of companies affected by product and brand piracy, but highlights the increasing need for measures against digital threats.

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.

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?

De La Rue has announced its full year results for the period ending 30 March 2024, with its Authentication division (which mainly comprises brand protection and tax stamp programmes) achieving record sales of £103.2 million.

Traceability is far from a new concept. In the 1930s, it certified the origin of premium goods like French champagne. Today, it is more relevant than ever.

Addressing the increasing demand for a simple user experience for configuring and pairing IoT devices, Infineon Technologies has launched the OPTIGA™ Authenticate NBT, an NFC I2C bridge tag for contactless authentication and secured configuration.

Over the last few years, the corporate agenda has increased demand for secure and sustainable brand protection solutions. Authentication & Brand News™ reported a few such developments in the March 2024 issue and, moving forward, is sharing Crane Authentication’s latest announcement.

Texas-based security solutions provider Authentix has acquired the authentication business assets of Meta Materials – namely, Nanotech Security Corporation (NSC) – for $10 million, excluding certain assets such as cash and real estate.

In collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and the National Institute for Materials Science, a research team, including Hitachi scientists, has developed image acquisition and defocusing correction techniques to observe atomic-scale magnetic fields using a Hitachi holographic electron microscope at a resolution of 0.47nm.

A team of researchers from Western University, Canada, has developed a new type of persistent luminescence nanomaterial using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron (a type of circular particle accelerator).

Famous writer and fisherman A K Best said it best – pardon the pun – with his quote: ‘the fishing was good, it was the catching that was bad’. Although he was not referring to traceability systems, the quote sums up one of the main reasons for implementing traceability on seafood: to prevent non-compliant fishing practices.

Differentiating between AI and ‘real’ content in California, the EU adopts a new product sustainability rule, and the US Federal Communications Commission votes to create a cybersecurity labelling programme for IoT devices.

Reconnaissance International – the leading global source of business intelligence on currency, identity, authentication and traceability – has unveiled a new industry reference glossary.

A research team at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, China has devised an innovative method to prepare carbonised polymer nanodots capable of emitting multicolour ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) ranging from blue to green. These materials demonstrate significant potential applications in anticounterfeiting and information encryption.

According to a new research report published in the journal Langmuir, scientists have successfully developed a new photopatterning technique that creates two light-reactive images in one material.

De La Rue, the banknote printer and substrate manufacturer, authentication solutions provider and producer of security holograms, has announced it is in discussions with several parties interested in acquiring one or both of its divisions: Authentication and Currency.

With a focus on developing high end security pigments, Luminochem has released a demo video showing how its LuminoMark UV fluorescent pigments can be applied on medicine blisters for brand protection.

Macau is facing the common crime of counterfeit casino chips. In the latest incident, police arrested five men for defrauding a casino using 585 counterfeit chips. Each chip was marked with a denomination of HK$10,000 ($1,280), tricking the casino out of at least HK$1.8 million.

Following on from last month’s Authentication & Brand News™ article on the mass counterfeiting of barcoded postage stamps in the UK, a woman from California, USA, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States Postal Service (USPS) out of more than $150 million in a counterfeit postage scam in Los Angeles.

At the recent World Seed Congress in the Netherlands, the International Seed Federation (ISF) signed what is being hailed as an ‘historic agreement’ with 12 organisations to combat illegal seed practices.

According to McKinsey, the global radio frequency identification (RFID) technology market will reach $97.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 14.4% between 2022-2030.

At the Optical & Digital Document Security (ODDS) conference in April, Michael Natan, President of Diametryx Inc, presented this new company’s intriguing colour-change particles for use as an overt security feature.

Xeikon, a provider of digital printing presses, has partnered with KURZ and SCRIBOS (part of the KURZ group) to offer a solution that enables digital label printers to combine variable metallic elements, serialised QR codes with embedded copy- protection patterns, and interactive features… all in a single printing pass.

Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts (SKSC) has invested over €3 million in a brand new custom press (Perfect NT security printing press) from Rotatek.

A new trend among counterfeiters is to target high-value drugs like HIV antivirals in both the developing and developed world. This problem was highlighted in 2020 and 2021, when Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Gilead warned that counterfeits of several HIV medications had been discovered circulating in the US.

Researchers at the Centre for Pattern Recognition and Machine Intelligence (CENPARMI), at Concordia University, Canada, have developed a novel framework that uses image-mining techniques and machine learning algorithms to identify flaws in counterfeit coins.

Following the sale at auction of a 1983 Apple business card signed by Steve Jobs, for the colossal price of $181,183 (the highest ever paid for a business card), we thought it an opportune time to explore the science behind authenticating autographs and collectibles.

An article in the April 2024 edition of this newsletter examined the drivers to sustainable practices in brand protection. The aim of this article is to extend this examination into the business case for sustainability, which is more than simply being seen as a good corporate citizen.

Reconnaissance International has announced that the 2024 Holography Conference Online (THCO) will be held on 12-13 November. The call for papers is now open, and delegates are invited to submit a proposal to present by 13 September 2024.

A new labelling technology that prints a QR code directly onto food such as fruit has been developed by a team of researchers in South Korea, according to an announcement by the country’s Ministry of Science and ICT.

A woman from California, USA, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States Postal Service (USPS) out of more than $150 million in a counterfeit postage scam in Los Angeles.

In a new approach, scientists are developing accessible and affordable methods to enable more comprehensive detection and identification of illicit distilled spirit products.

In April, StockX, the online reseller (primarily of sneakers), released its first ‘Brand Protection & Customer Trust Report’, offering a view into its anticounterfeiting and fraud prevention activities in 2023.

Gilead Science’s comprehensive measures to ensure medicine safety, from tablet design to vials and packaging.

From 8-10 April, Portugal's vibrant city of Lisbon played host to the 2024 Optical & Digital Security™ (ODDS) conference, providing a collaborative environment for the ID, currency, and secure document technical community to convene, exchange ideas, and unveil new security technologies.

In a blow to India's pharmaceutical export ambitions, implementation of the country’s planned track and trace (T&T) system has hit another roadblock, with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) announcing a one-year extension that pushes the deadline to February 2025. This delay follows a previous setback in August 2023.

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

Recent developments in the authentication industry, including: a new authentication contract for De La Rue, Royal Canadian Mint tracks the integrity of gold, and Certified Collectibles Group acquires a leading autograph authentication company.

The European Commission has adopted a recommendation to combat offline and online counterfeiting and enhance intellectual property rights enforcement.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

A recent EU Intellectual Property Office study has found that sales of legitimate clothing and footwear, cosmetics and toys suffer annual losses of €12 billion, €3 billion and €1 billion, respectively. Across these sectors, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Austria incur the biggest losses, with nearly €8 billion in reduced sales of genuine goods.

African governments are fighting the fake medicine scourge using technological advancements, track and trace systems, joint investigations, and strategic collaborations.

The European Pallet Association (EPAL) UK & Ireland, the umbrella association of licensed producers and repairers of EPAL load carriers, has launched Euro QR code pallets to boost supply chain visibility, improve efficiency, and optimise stock management.

The article explores 'pay-as-you-throw' waste tax, a new Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) charging scheme and the authentication possibilities supporting the recyclability efforts. Under the scheme, Hong Kong residents must buy designated rubbish bags to dispose of their domestic, commercial and industrial waste.

A new report based on survey findings among Council of Europe member states has confirmed the existence of falsified medical devices in the EU.

2024 promises to be an exciting year for the authentication industry, as seven of the world's ten biggest countries will be voting in national elections.

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.

The programme for the third Optical and Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference is now available.

In the world of wine retailing, where the origin of a grape can massively impact the value of the finished bottle, the temptation to pass off one provenance of grape in favour of another is overwhelming.

In 2023, security solution providers continued developing optical features and solutions, often combined with covert security, tamper-evidence, unique identifiers, and associated data management systems. This re-confirmed the position and importance of overt security features. At the same time, suppliers embraced physical/digital ('phygital') solutions that drew them into the realm of near-field communication (NFC), blockchain, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The SIR is an expanded and rebranded 2.0 version of HIR and reflects the changing realities of the global security printing industry. As holograms are increasingly incorporated with other optically variable devices (OVDs) to provide integrated, added value and advanced anti-counterfeiting solutions, the new SIR will include all optical security technologies falling within the general term of OVD.

Bangladesh is known for having one of the fastest growing populations, but probably not so well-known is the fact that it is also one of the largest exporters of prawns (shrimp) in the world.

A brief review covering innovation and technologies showcased at the 2023 High Security Printing™ (HSP) Asia conference which took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 4-6 December.