4 hours Ago By The Independent
Chairman of ACN, Fred MuwemaKAMPALA, UGANDA | Julius Businge | Despite ongoing efforts to curb counterfeit trade in Uganda, significant progress remains elusive due to regulatory bodies’ limited manpower and a lack of consumer awareness. In response to these challenges, the Anti-Counterfeit Network (ACN) has launched the Bleep App, a digital platform designed to bridge intervention gaps between consumers, manufacturers, and regulators.The Anti-Counterfeit Network was established nearly a decade ago to create a united front against counterfeit, substandard, and illicit trade.
Recognizing the communication gaps between market actors as a major factor enabling counterfeit products to thrive, ACN has been spearheading efforts to address the problem at its root.Fred Muwema, Chairman of ACN, emphasized that the issue of counterfeit trade is largely a mindset problem, requiring a behavioral change campaign rather than reactive enforcement actions. To that end, ACN has introduced Bleep as a collaborative digital solution that brings together key stakeholders, allowing them to effectively combat counterfeits in a cost-efficient manner.
Despite efforts by stakeholders like the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the Uganda Police, counterfeit trade continues to rise. Muwema pointed out that current enforcement strategies tend to target symptoms rather than root causes.“Arresting a trader for selling counterfeits is merely addressing the symptom,” Muwema said.
“We need to understand why counterfeit products are being sold and why consumers are buying them. Counterfeit trade is an epidemic worse than COVID-19 or terrorism because it claims more lives.”According to Muwema, counterfeit trade is growing exponentially, with some estimates indicating a 1,100% increase every decade.
Given that global trade is valued at approximately $30 trillion, counterfeit products account for about 15% of that—a significant rise from just 1% in 2010.Bleep is a modern digital application designed to provide a robust anti-counterfeit solution by leveraging cutting-edge technology. Consumers often struggle to report counterfeit cases, but Bleep simplifies the process by allowing them to submit reports from their mobile phones, making it convenient and accessible.
The app facilitates easy verification of reports by brands and regulators, enabling swift redress actions. Currently, investigating and enforcing against counterfeit trade is costly and time-consuming, but Bleep aims to streamline information flow between the public, manufacturers, and regulators.To enhance its effectiveness, ACN has partnered with Cypheme, a global leader in counterfeit detection solutions.
Cypheme’s AI-driven technology has been embedded into Bleep, featuring a scannable but tamper-proof Bleep sticker. This sticker allows consumers to verify product authenticity at the point of purchase using a smartphone. The sticker is also equipped with GPS tracking, further strengthening the authentication process.
The food sector is among the most affected by counterfeit products, with food contamination occurring at multiple stages—from farming to post-harvest handling, processing, and retail.Bleep provides consumers with the ability to report suspected counterfeit or substandard food by simply taking a picture or video and uploading it to the platform. Reports are then ticketed and followed up with relevant brands and regulators, helping to expose and mitigate food contamination risks.
As an entrepreneurial nation, Uganda has many businesses thriving on counterfeit goods.According to Muwema, some enterprises rely on intellectual property theft and product duplication, which stifles genuine innovation.“You don’t have to infringe on someone’s innovation to be an entrepreneur,” he said.
“We need to weed out fake enterprises and safeguard our business ecosystem. Bleep provides a platform to do just that.”The influx of counterfeit products has negatively impacted businesses, pushing premium and well-regulated products out of the market.
Muwema cited an example of a plastics company worth $100 million that was forced to shut down due to unfair competition from counterfeiters, leading to significant job losses. Bleep is expected to restore fairness in the marketplace by enabling consumers to report fake entrepreneurs and support genuine businesses.While government agencies such as UNBS and the Uganda Police have been enforcing anti-counterfeit laws, their efforts have been hampered by limited resources.
Bleep is designed to complement their work by turning the public into a community of “detectives” who provide valuable information on counterfeit trade.“Government agencies cannot reach everywhere,” Muwema explained. “Bleep will make it easier for the public to report counterfeits, ensuring enforcement actions are better informed and more effective.
”ACN aims to increase reported counterfeit cases from the current 1,000 per year to at least 10,000 in the first year of Bleep’s implementation. The goal is to reduce counterfeit products on the market by 50% within three years.Counterfeit trade causes billions of dollars in losses annually, negatively impacting Uganda’s GDP.
Muwema believes Bleep can serve as a market governance and policy tool to address these economic setbacks.“Bleep will help prevent government funds allocated for development projects from being wasted on substandard materials,” he said. “If we leverage our mobile phone connectivity—currently at 30 million handsets—we can effectively counteract counterfeits through digital reporting and verification.
”Muwema dismissed the notion that combating counterfeits would make goods less affordable, arguing that counterfeit products often prove to be more costly in the long run due to their detrimental effects on health and finances.“Counterfeits may seem cheap, but they ultimately rob you of your wealth and health,” he warned.ACN is urging all brands and regulators to join Bleep, as it provides a crucial platform for tracking and addressing consumer complaints about counterfeit products.
By actively participating in the initiative, brands can reclaim market share lost to counterfeiters and restore public trust in their products.“Every product is vulnerable to counterfeiting, making all of us victims—including the counterfeiters themselves. No counterfeiter would willingly consume contaminated food or medicine!” Muwema emphasized.
Bleep is now available for Android users, with an iOS version in development. The web version can be accessed at bleep.ug.
Ugandans are encouraged to download the app and report suspected counterfeit and substandard products to help create a counterfeit-free Uganda.Share on: WhatsAppThe post Anti-Counterfeit Network unveils Bleep App to combat counterfeit trade in Uganda appeared first on The Independent Uganda:..
