Fake poppy merchandise warning

With just days to go before Remembrance Sunday, a warning has been issued about fake poppy merchandise.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is urging the public to be extra vigilant when buying poppy-themed merchandise ahead of Sunday, November 11.

Donations are intended to support the Armed Forces community men, women, veterans and their families. Instead they could end up benefitting fraudsters if poppy merchandise turns out to be fake.

Examples of fake poppy merchandise. Image credit: IPO

The Royal British Legion has registered its rights for the poppy goods to prevent such counterfeiting. The IPO and The Legion has teamed up with the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit to crack down on the rogue traders making money from the fake Remembrance goods. The warning applies to poppy merchandise – scarves, jewellery, poppy pins and larger poppy brooches.

The warning does not apply to the traditional paper poppies.

The PIPCU team has been targeting suspected sellers by visiting addresses and speaking with people in connection with this crime.

In Autumn 2017, Border Force officers at Tilbury intercepted a shipment of poppy merchandise intended for the UK worth in the region of £150,000. Only last week, Manchester City Council’s Trading Standards team seized more than 1,700 items of fake poppy merchandise destined for sale to the British public.

If in any doubt, buy through The Royal British Legion at https://www.poppyshop.org.uk/ or The Royal British Legion official eBay or Amazon pages – you will be sure of the authenticity.

Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or report it online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org  if you spot anyone selling what you believe to be fake poppy products.