New campaign highlights dangers of purchasing counterfeit parts
A new awareness campaign has been launched by the UK Government to warn of the dangers of purchasing counterfeit vehicle parts.
The ‘Fake Always Breaks’ campaign is backed by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and comes after Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research estimated that counterfeit vehicle parts imported to the UK were worth almost £1 billion in 2016.
The campaign highlights how counterfeit vehicle parts are not subject to the same rigorous testing as legitimate products, and aims to alert drivers to the life-threatening dangers such counterfeits pose. These include items such as brakes, headlights and air bags.
A survey conducted for the IPO has revealed that one in six motorists who responded said they had bought a counterfeit part in the past 12 months alone. These include car batteries (bought by 25% of motorists who admit to buying counterfeit parts), tyres/wheels (23%) and windscreen wipers (19%).
A further 14 per cent of motorists who have purchased fake car parts bought counterfeit airbags, while over a tenth (12%) bought fake brake pads or discs. Although many purchases are made unknowingly, almost 58 per cent of motorists responding to a survey said they did so knowing the part was counterfeit.
The survey also found that getting parts for a lower price was a significant factor among those intentionally buying a fake part, with 31 per cent citing cost savings as a reason. A third (34%) of motorists who admitted to buying fake parts said they did so because they felt there was no discernible difference in appearance.
Responses also suggest that such purchases made unknowingly are often uncovered at a later stage. Almost half (45%) who bought a fake that they thought was genuine, found out through their garage after the part faulted, with 30 per cent becoming aware during routine service checks.
The campaign is being supported by a range of organisations in the automotive industry and vehicle repair and servicing sectors. These include the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF).
The IAAF has been involved in the increasing issue of illegitimate and fake matching quality replacement parts. It warns that fake or sub-standard vehicle parts are often cheap-looking imitations, but it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between a fake and genuine product. Such fake parts are usually made from inferior materials and are not safety-tested, increasing the risk of failure. This can have serious consequences to drivers, passengers, and other road users.
The IAAF also warns that where technology is constantly improving vehicles, particularly the safety aspects, criminals use advanced techniques to make the parts and packaging look genuine. Just looking at the part might not be enough to identify a fake part but remember, fake always breaks so be vigilant when replacing automotive components.