How to Protect Against Counterfeit Supplement Products Entering the Market

We’ve been hearing it with increasing frequency from our large supplement customers: what can I do to help protect my brand from fraudulent products entering the market?

In a great number of ways, the advent of internet sales a few decades ago was a boon to the dietary supplement industry. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, having products conveniently available online created lifelines that didn’t exist for products only sold in stores. Unfortunately, retail channels like Amazon and other third-part platforms have also provided an easy way for counterfeits to enter the market.

While this issue has been on the radar for years, recently we’ve seen a huge uptick in the number of companies and products affected. In 2023 alone, supplement brands like Pure Encapsulations, Now Foods, and many others discovered counterfeit products being sold on Amazon, according to ConsumerLab.com. Costly lawsuits have ensued in many of these cases, and while we’d all like to hope consumers will take an active roll in ensuring the products they buy are from a legitimate seller, that is unfortunately not the case.

So what can you do to contend with these false versions of your product? From security features incorporated directly on your label to custom variable data options, Inovar Packaging Group is the top label and packaging supplier when it comes to helping defend your product against counterfeits.

Assessing the true cost associated with purchases of counterfeit supplement products is impossible–while a dollar value can be attributed to the inauthentic items purchased, the loss of consumer trust is much harder to measure and recoup. One of the most effective ways to protect your product is to include security features directly in your label that deter would-be counterfeiters and alert buyers instantly to counterfeit product. Here are three ways we can help you fight counterfeit products.

1. VARIABLE DATA & CUSTOM CODES

One straightforward way to defend against counterfeit products is by using technologies fraudulent purveyors looking to turn a quick profit would never invest in. Scannable codes like QR codes can allow your customers to confirm with a snap of their phone that the product they’re purchasing is legitimate. Of course, a generic QR code that directs to your website can be replicated, but we can print unique scannable codes for every individual product label, enabling a level of security for your product beyond the capabilities of other suppliers.

By printing variable data in the form of custom codes directly on your labels, you can guarantee to customers the validity of your product. You will deter counterfeiters from even trying to enter the market with your product. As an added benefit, a scannable code will provide a chance to convince customers to connect with your brand on a deeper level or to join loyalty program or other marketing initiative.

2. BLACK LIGHT ADDITIVES & CAST AND CURE™

While maintaining the data for variable scannable codes can add cost to your labels, black light additives, on the other hand, are a low-cost security feature. Inovar Packaging Group can add an optical brightener additive into coatings that indicate if the label is genuine or not when put under a black light. You could also apply this selectively on the label to create patterns or words that only appear when under black light.

Cast and Cure™  is a process that is created by the use of specialty film and UV coatings, resulting in a holographic appearance. The specialty film is available in many patterns designed to enhance your label. The film can be applied over the entire label for high visual impact or in smaller, more select areas as an accent to existing artwork. Because these materials are hard to obtain and the feature is difficult to reproduce, this is a great option to deter counterfeiters who would have a hard time replicating the special effect.

3. MICROTEXT

Adding microtext, sometimes called microprinting, is another method for including anti-counterfeiting features on your label without high added cost. Microtext is a microscopic area of text printed on a label. The text is extremely small and impossible to read to the naked eye but visible under magnification. Words, phrases, sequential numbers, part numbers and more can be printed on a label to prevent recreation. Because these tiny textual elements are difficult to detect and replicate, microtext can be an invaluable way for supplement companies to maintain the authenticity of their products.

We understand that in the digital landscape of today, providing protection against counterfeit products for our supplement partners is essential. Especially in a market where consumer trust wavers, the importance of ensuring your customers receive legitimate product can’t be overstated. Contact us now to discuss our many label and packaging options with an expert who understands and cares about the legitimacy requirements of supplement companies like yours.