As we approach Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and The Royal British Legion are urging kind-hearted members of the British public to “buy real” for the poppy appeal to prevent charity funds going to rogue traders.
The IPO is the UK organisation responsible for helping individuals and organisations to protect their intellectual property using copyright, design rights and trade marks. RBL has registered its rights for the poppy goods to prevent counterfeiting of merchandise such as masks, scarves, jewellery, poppy pins and larger poppy brooches. The IPO partners with the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) to crack down on the rogue traders making money from the fake Remembrance goods.
Dr Ros Lynch, IPO Director of Copyright said:
“Apart from infringing Royal British Legion copyright, fake poppy merchandise exploits public support and defrauds one of the UK’s cherished charities.
“Donations intended to support Armed Forces community men, women, veterans and their families may end up benefitting fraudsters if the poppy merchandise turns out to be fake or from an unofficial source. We urge the public to “buy real” for the poppy appeal to ensure every poppy counts.”
Tarsam Singh-Khela, Senior Legal Counsel from The Royal British Legion said:
“It is a sad fact that there are people who actively defraud the public in order to take funds intended to benefit our Armed Forces community. We would urge everyone wishing to purchase a Remembrance poppy brooch, to do so through official channels. For example, you can buy from one of our trusted volunteers, from The Royal British Legion’s online Poppy Shop, or from one of our corporate partners.
“We will continue to crack down on infringers – people are purchasing unofficial items mistakenly believing that the Legion will receive money from the purchase, but that’s unfortunately not the case.”
Fake poppy merchandise – what to look for
The IPO is advising the public to look out for counterfeit goods in the shape of, or bearing the image of, The Royal British Legion’s familiar two-petal red poppy, or Poppy Scotland’s four-petal poppy in Scotland.
To help consumers beat the fraudsters, the IPO has shared its top tips to avoid buying fake poppy merchandise online:
• Be a ‘responsible buyer’ – if in doubt, buy through official channels like The Royal British Legion Poppy Shop and through RBL official partners. That way, you can be sure of the authenticity.
• Avoid cheaper priced products. If the price is too good to be true, it usually is.
• Protect yourself against fakes when shopping – here’s consumer advice from IPO
What to do if you think you’ve spotted fake poppy merchandise
If you spot anyone selling what you believe to be fake poppy products, have fallen victim to a scam, or suspect a family member or friend has, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.
