DED invites public to join campaign against counterfeiting during Ramadan

The Department of Economic Development (DED) as part of its Ramadan initiatives has launched a campaign to enable the public join the fight against counterfeiting and at the same time help the needy. The campaign, which draws attention to the hazards of counterfeiting, is being held in the Etihad Mall from 29^th June to 3^rd July and in Al Barsha Mall from 13^th to 17^th July. 

The campaign runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the participating malls. Shoppers can take part in the campaign by donating a minimum of one dirham to the charity box of Dar Al Ber Society placed in the malls. Each donor will then go to a tent erected in the mall and collect a counterfeit bag, follows the footsteps on the floor towards a shredder and drops the bag in the shredder. 

“We designed the campaign as a symbolic gesture. It draws on the spirit of giving and fairness, which prevails during the Holy Month of Ramadan, to alert the public against the dangers of counterfeiting. Counterfeiting violates the rights of the trademark owner and can endanger the health of those who use such products,” said Abdullah Al Shehi, Director of Intellectual Property Protection Department, Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector, DED. 

The Intellectual Property Protection Department seized around 11,623,073 pieces of various duplicate/counterfeit goods in the first quarter of 2014. Bags and leather products accounted for the third biggest share of the goods confiscated after with perfumes and auto parts.