In Vino Veritas: The Next Vintage – The Future of Wine Anti-Counterfeiting

shutterstock_85240996Wine counterfeiting in China is at a critical stage for the European wine industry. In recent years we have had a taste of what Chinese consumption means to the European producers, with over a quarter of a billion litres of European wine consumed annually by what represents only a fraction of the potential market in China. As the market moves from commodity and gift wines to drinking ‘table’ wine, so do the counterfeiters, flooding supermarkets and restaurants with wines bearing (often validly registered) appellation marks which have no connection to the liquid inside the bottle.

Chinese palates are at a crucial developmental stage, and exposure to poor quality counterfeits of European wine not only damages profits, but also poisons the reputation of European producers in the Chinese marketplace. Competition with domestic producers is already fierce, and Europe’s wine industry can no longer afford to stand by and let this threat go unchallenged.

In today’s article we look back at some of the key points raised over the course of this series, as well as reiterating some of the key points raised by the experts who were instrumental in the creation of this series. For more of the In Vino Veritas series, click here.

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South-East Asia IPR Basics Series: Trademarks in Thailand

BRAND on price labelsToday’s South-East Asia IPR Basics post covers trade mark law in Thailand

Trade marks are essential for brands relying on the reputation and goodwill they have built with their clients and customers and should be afforded comprehensive protection, ideally before market entry. This article provides SMEs with a background to Thai trade mark law, as well as the registration and enforcement procedures available in the country.

As always, if you’d like more information on how to protect and enforce your trade marks in Thailand, check out our in depth IPR factsheet, or get in touch with our Helpdesk experts for free, in-depth advice!

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In Vino Veritas: Getting Practical; Market monitoring and alternative enforcement strategies

wine label-05Today we have a guest article, kindly written for the Helpdesk by expert counterfeit investigator and old China hand Nick Bartman.

Nick has over 25 years of experience personally investigating and putting a stop to counterfeiting activities, 20 of which he has spent working in China for some of the biggest brands and household names. Over the last 6 years he has worked almost exclusively to expose wine counterfeiters and spread the word throughout the wine industry and has developed an extensive knowledge of the strategies and methodologies used by wine counterfeiters in China today.

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In Vino Veritas: Terroir IPR Part 2: Regulatory bodies and collective action against counterfeiting

wine label-04In our previous article we discussed wine’s history as a product heavily reliant on geography, soil quality, and climate, or terroir for its unique characteristics, the resultant importance of regional classifications, and the legal protection available for producers based in distinctive wine regions. In this article we’ll be looking at how certain regulatory bodies and wine associations can, and in some cases already do, help producers to protect the reputations of their brands. Finally we’ll look at how the wine industry can come together to tackle the counterfeiting industry which continues to damage the sales and reputation of this much loved beverage.

As always, if you have any questions, get in touch with our experts here.

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South-East Asia IPR Basics Series: Copyright Law in Thailand

dreamstime_m_24720610Next up in our South-East Asia IPR Basics series is Thailand, the second largest economy in South-East Asia after Indonesia, and one of the core ‘anchor’ economies.

This article provides a quick background to Thai-EU relations for SMEs and covers all the core aspects of copyright law in the country. Be sure to check back in the coming weeks as well when we’ll be discussing Trade Marks, GIs, Patents, Design Rights, and Customs Controls in the region.

If we’ve peaked your interest, and you think business in Thailand might be for you, make sure to check out our in depth IPR Factsheet for Thailand, or get in touch with one of our experts!

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