October 2026 | Traceability, Serialization & Grey Market
A brand protection strategy works best when it is decided before the product exists, while packaging design, security features and product data are still on the drawing board. Planned at that stage, a tamper-evident security label with a unique identifier fits the artwork, the filling line and your IT systems from day one. Added shortly before launch, the same label is a compromise.
Why a brand protection strategy belongs in the first draft
Most protection problems we see are timing problems. When security is added late, the label has to fit around finished artwork, the code competes with other markings for space, and the application process on the line was never tested. The result works, but it is rarely the best possible solution. The pressure to get it right is real. According to the OECD and EUIPO, counterfeit goods accounted for an estimated USD 467 billion in global trade in 2021. Products that launch without a clear brand protection strategy enter that market with no way for consumers or inspectors to tell the original from a copy.
One label, two jobs: tamper evidence and digital identity
A security label can do more than show whether a package has been opened. Our SmartLabels combine a visible VOID effect with a unique, non-predictable identifier in a QR code or NFC tag. The physical layer makes tampering visible. The digital layer turns every unit into an access point for authentication, traceability and direct contact with your customers.
When both layers are planned together, they support processes you already have, such as quality control, distribution and customer service, instead of creating new ones.
The deadlines that reward early planning
Products in development today will be on shelves during a major shift in product identification. According to GS1 US, the Sunrise 2027 initiative aims for 2D barcodes such as QR codes to be scanned and processed at any retail point of sale by the end of 2027, and lists better product authentication among the benefits. In Europe, the Digital Product Passport is becoming operational. According to the European Commission’s EU Retail Platform, the Commission launched the DPP Registry on 20 July 2026, ahead of a phased rollout of mandatory passports starting with certain large batteries in February 2027. Our Digital Product Passport solutions connect this data carrier with product protection. This section is informational, not legal advice; check the official texts for your product group.
How to build a brand protection strategy into product development
In practice, the work follows the product through four decisions, ideally with packaging engineering, quality, procurement and marketing at the same table.
- Name the risks at concept stage. For each market and channel, decide which threat matters most: counterfeits, tampering and refill, label harvesting or gray market diversion. The answer can differ between your home market and a new export market.
- Choose the feature mix. Combine what consumers can check at a glance, what inspectors can verify in the field and what the digital identifier adds.
- Design the label into the pack. Fix placement, size, substrate and code area in the packaging specification, and test sample labels on the real material and line. Changes at this stage cost a revision, not a reprint.
- Decide what a scan should do. Define what consumers, partners and your own teams see after scanning, who owns the data and how it connects to your systems.
How we support your brand protection strategy
We are a family-owned company, founded in 2001, and invest up to 10% of our revenue in research and development. We work with brand owners to develop tamper-evident security labels and seals with integrated digital identification, tailored to their product, design and production. The earlier we join, the more precisely protection, design and production can be aligned.
Your next product is already in the making. If you want its brand protection strategy to be part of the first draft, start the conversation with our experts.
