Nairobi: The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), in collaboration with the Anti-Counterfeit Network (ACN)-Uganda, has launched an evolutionary anti-counterfeit product solution to transform enforcement, consumer protection, and market surveillance in a bid to curb cross-border counterfeit businesses.
According to Kenya News Agency, Anti-Counterfeit Executive Director, Dr. Robi Njoroge, revealed that the newly launched 'Bleep' application is revolutionary software intended to protect consumers and empower enforcement agencies and businesses by offering instant authentication of goods. In Kenya alone, the counterfeit trade results in losses exceeding 100 billion Kenya shillings annually, harming sectors like medicine, agriculture, and fast-moving consumer goods, Njoroge stated.
The report presented by the East African Business Council (EABC) indicates that counterfeit and illicit trade make up to 30-40 percent of key sectors, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, and automotive parts. Dr. Njoroge emphasized that counterfeiting is not just a matter of economic fraud but is also a form of organized crime that threatens consumer health and safety, destabilizes legitimate trade, and undermines economic growth. He concluded by stating that the fight against counterfeiting requires collective action from government, businesses, non-state actors, consumers, and regional stakeholders.
ACN Chairman Fred Muwema highlighted that the platform features a unique scannable technology integrated into the Bleep app, allowing users to scan a secure, tamper-proof product mark using their phones. He affirmed that the app empowers consumers to report counterfeits, as research has shown that the public is not actively engaged in reporting them.
ACN-Uganda's Dr. Milka Singh explained that they have employed a new technology called deep trace AI technology, marking the first hybrid platform to use this advanced technology. He noted that the BLEEP sticker features a hybrid technology with multiple features, including six layers of ink spray, signifying a significant investment in manufacturing these stickers. Dr. Singh affirmed that the sticker is self-destructible, preventing it from being reused on another product, and it sends a geotag if tampering is attempted.
The launch marks a milestone in the fight against illicit trade and counterfeit goods, which continue to pose a major threat to countries across East Africa and result in an estimated annual tax revenue loss of $500 million.