Counterfeit toy products are typically made of inferior quality materials and may break or tear more easily. Often, counterfeit producers bypass the intellectual property rights of popular brands and sell their products with the logos of legitimate vendors. This makes it far more difficult to distinguish between authentic and counterfeit toy products, even for the experts and authorities. A 2015 report by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) estimates that, in the UK, £174 million is lost to counterfeit toys each year. A large proportion of this revenue is generated at Christmas time due to the higher demand, when counterfeit sellers increase production.
Many modern children’s toys and accessories must meet strict toy safety, sustainability, and fire-resistance standards. Counterfeit toys are not subject to the same quality testing, since they are often made of cheaper materials, and can contain toxic chemicals (such as phthalates), mechanical hazards, or loose fittings which could pose a choking risk to children. Blankets and plush toys are particularly dangerous as they can potentially contain hazardous polyfill or asbestos stuffing. According to the EWG, asbestos is also a risk in other counterfeit toys, such as crayons and crime-scene kits.
In addition to counterfeit products, recalled toys also pose a serious risk to children’s health. It is illegal in most countries to sell recalled toys, and for good reason. Certain products are removed from sale to protect consumers from hazardous materials, but many sellers continue to offer these toys far past their recall date.
When purchasing a toy, buyers should always check for logos and labels indicating authenticity. However, staying vigilant can only provide limited protection, as often these stamps and markings can be faked and copied onto counterfeit items to hide their true origin and quality.
For this reason, Quantum Base has developed our Q-ID® solution to combat counterfeit products. We use a revolutionary technology to create an invisible marker at the atomic scale on the surface of a product, exploiting the inherent randomness of quantum materials to generate a solution which cannot be copied, cloned, replicated, or faked. These Quantum Signatures can then be efficiently implemented into the manufacturing process of children’s toys and accessories, printed onto products, components, and packaging.
The authenticity of these items can then be verified in seconds using a standard smartphone camera. By simply downloading the Quantum Base app and scanning the Q-ID® Tag, manufacturers, retailers, and customers can gain access to all relevant product information and history. Quantum Base also integrates global track-and-trace data, so buyers have peace of mind seeing exactly where their toys have come from.
With our unbreakable Q-ID® solution, toy manufactures can:
Want to find out more about our quantum solution? Get in touch with one of our team or complete the form to discover how our Q-ID® Tags can revolutionise product security.