Geek Bar has launched a range of new packaging to help combat counterfeit and non-compliant vaping products.
Geek Bar is the leading manufacturer of disposable vapes sold in the UK and its products have become an important option for smokers wanting to give up and for those already vaping who want to reduce their nicotine intake.
The company has published a list of approved UK distributors and has worked with the authorities in China to close 12 counterfeit factories in recent months. Over 100,000 vapes, destined for the UK market, have been seized.
The new packaging will distinguish the legitimacy of its products by emphasising the positioning of the security code. This will allow both retailers and consumers to check the authenticity of the product, avoiding any potential harm that may arise from using counterfeit products.
Geek Bar says there are a number of other ways to check whether or not your product is genuine.
This includes looking out for low quality printing, with darker and less clear images, all indicative of a fake Geek Bar. Another sign is if the hologram includes lettering or images of poor quality and if by shining a light on the hologram the lettering or images appear diagonally in relation to the light source, rather than in line with it.
The new packaging will also include a new top-integrated seal, which will allow consumers to open the Geek Bar using a tear brace. Geek Bar has also replaced the certification and environmental protection information to emphasise the recyclable nature of the product.
The new design layout will ensure that the product information is clearer including the age restrictions forbidding the sale of Geek Bars to under-18s.
Allen Yang, Chief Executive at Geek Bar, said: “As a leading brand of disposable vapes in the UK, it is crucially important to us that we are putting all the measures in place to ensure non-compliant and counterfeit vapes do not bring harm to our customers.
“We will not accept products that do not meet UK regulations entering the market and we hope that our new packaging will make it easier for people to check the veracity of the products and alert us to any unregulated sales.
“Our message to distributors and retailers who allow this to happen is that it has to stop now.
“Through our compliance partner, we are working extremely closely with the UK Vaping Industry Association and regulators to assist them in removing non-compliant products from the UK market.”
Vapes, which according to Public Health England (PHE) are at least 95 per cent less harmful than cigarettes, are proven to be the most effective bridge to giving up smoking. PHE has also found no evidence to support the theory that vapes are increasing youth smoking and have confirmed that smoking rates among young people continue to decline in the UK.
Consumers and retailers can check the authenticity of products by verifying the security code at http://www.geekbar.com/security-code.html. Retailers and distributors can also report suspected counterfeit and non-compliant products at legal@geekbar.com and the company is incentivising retailers to report counterfeits or products that do not comply with UK regulations.
Businesses and individuals can check the legitimacy of the security codes here: http://www.geekbar.com/security-code.html