Customers alerted of fake products

SOLTUNA Ltd, the manufacturer of the Solomon Blue tinned-fish imported and sold in Papua New Guinea does have counterfeit measures to alert customers if the product is fake, a company official says.
Marketing manager Kenwood Harry told The National that the original Solomon Blue can would have the trademark printed on top of the product. Harry said the normal cover label on the side was not a full-proof measure because anyone could use the sticker from an original brand to stick on a fake product and distribute for sale.
He said the company took the initiative after realising their product was being counterfeited and distributed for sale.
“As a company, we struggle to protect our products but counterfeiting is rising and as a measure, we came up with the idea that we have to print our labels on the can,” he said.
“This is because when the consumers go and buy our can, they can always look for this and be sure that the product is an original.”
PNG Customs said the Soltuna product among other tinned foods were being counterfeited and sold in shops in Port Moresby.
Harry said the company was aware that their product was being counterfeited and sold in countries such as Vanuatu and Fiji and only recently learned through the media that it was also sold in PNG.
He said they had already identified the suppliers and importers and had taken legal action.
“This market has the potential and we want to grow our brand here and as a result we have already identified the suppliers who are based overseas as well as the importers,” he said.
“We have taken legal action against and the matter is still pending before the courts here.”