Counterfeit items concern firm

EREBIRI ZURENUOC
Government and the private sector need to collectively fight against counterfeit products, says Coca-Cola Amatil’s president and director for Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, Kadir Gunduz.
Gunduz, when asked about fake Coca-Cola being sold in Asian shops in Lae, said: “Public health is important.
“We work together with the brand owners of the Coca-Cola Company.
“Whenever there are counterfeit products out there, we immediately coordinate for them to take necessary action, in court or other legal action.
“We also work closely with the Government, which supports us, and we appreciate their efforts in combating counterfeit products.
“We, as local manufacturers, are subject to very stringent rules by the government, and also, our own internal stringent rules that we follow.
“This makes our product of high quality.”
Gunduz believes a collective focus on combating counterfeits will decrease the volume of counterfeits in the shops.
“It is also all about providing consumers with the high quality beverages, where it limits the counterfeit products that are being sold,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Charles Abel, when addressing CCA staff at its Lae production site yesterday during inauguration of a new PET production line, said the Government was aware of counterfeits being sold in the country.
“As we have seen in the media, Coca-Cola has been recently affected, and it is a concern,” he said.
“I will be directing Customs to look into that particular issue immediately.
“Otherwise, the illicit trade taskforce committee will be fast-tracked in order to address this issue.”
CCA general manager Gigy Philip said the company was happy that the Government was working on establishing a taskforce to reduce the incidence of counterfeits.