Erewash Borough Council has become the first local authority in the East Midlands to sign the national ‘Real Deal’ National Markets’ Charter for its historic markets in Ilkeston and Long Eaton.
The Charter is awarded to councils and markets that show a clear commitment to keeping the market a fake-free zone by barring anyone found to be trading in counterfeit and other illegal products.
Erewash Borough Council has worked closely with Derbyshire County Council Trading Standards officers to introduce stringent vetting procedures to ensure that counterfeit goods are not sold at the local markets.
Now, in recognition of this, both Ilkeston and Long Eaton markets now display the Real Deal logo, confirming their position as beacons of good practice and role-models for other markets across the country
Councillor Geoffrey Smith, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Regeneration and Planning, said:
“We are committed to driving forward the successful markets in both our major towns and are extremely pleased to obtain this prestigious award, which is not gained lightly.
“It ensures that customers are given a fair deal, allowing them to shop with confidence and with the knowledge that they will not be sold counterfeit goods.
“I would like to praise our market staff and the traders who have enthusiastically committed themselves to working with Trading Standards Officers – they all work hard at being the ‘eyes and ears’ on the front line of the fight to stop criminals selling counterfeit and illegal goods on our markets.”
Local market trader Janet Hassall, representing the National Market Trader Federation branch committees at both Ilkeston and Long Eaton, has also welcomed the news:
"We are pleased to endorse the Real Deal campaign against counterfeit and illegal goods.
“On behalf of our colleagues in Erewash, we would like to state that the vast majority of market traders operate their businesses with integrity and resent their image being tarnished by the ‘dodgy dealers’. We would like to thank Erewash Borough Council for taking the initiative in joining this scheme and in taking a stand that clearly demonstrates that counterfeit dealers will not be tolerated in this borough.
“Residents and visitors to Erewash can be assured that market traders here offer specialist products and product knowledge, personal service and competitive prices and we will ensure that our place in the heart of the community will not be compromised by illegal, substandard or counterfeit goods, therefore shoppers can buy with confidence."
Liz Bales, Director General of the Industry Trust for IP Awareness, which initiated the Real Deal campaign, adds:
“By signing-up to the Real Deal charter, Ilkeston and Long Eaton markets are sending a clear 'keep-out' message to counterfeit con-men, helping to ensure that these markets are safe, fair venues for people to shop and to trade.
“Well-run local markets are great. They are often at the heart of a community and provide real benefits to shoppers and local business people. Unfortunately, unscrupulous traders can be attracted to markets and car boot sales as an easy opportunity to trade illegally, particularly in counterfeit and pirated goods. It is a major problem across the UK and is often linked to organised criminal groups for whom selling counterfeit goods is a relatively risk-free way to make money and to launder cash from other criminal activity.”
Anyone who wishes to report information on the sale of counterfeit goods should contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
ENDS
About the Real Deal
The Real Deal charter is part of a nationwide initiative to keep dealers in counterfeit and other illicit goods from UK markets and car boot sales. It encourages local authority trading standards and market operators to work closely together, and to share information, so that local markets remain free from criminal activity and are a safe and fair environment in which to shop and to trade.
Initiated by the Industry Trust for Intellectual Property Awareness, the Real Deal campaign is supported by the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS), The Local Government Association (LGA), the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA), the Retail Markets Alliance (RMA), the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), the Alliance Against IP Theft and the UK Intellectual Property Office. In effect, all the key organisations, with an interest in this issue in England and Wales, have joined forces under the Real Deal campaign banner to tackle the problem.
