Authorities warn against dangerous pirates
Norwegian Christmas shoppers are warned against buying pirated goods, ranging from electronics and clothing to toys and cosmetics.
A survey of Norwegians’ shopping habits showed that 24% had bought pirated products.
The Customs, Consumers and Patent Office have now joined forces and warn against piracy.
For Customs, it is a challenge that large amounts of pirated goods from the useless web-shops are sent to Norwegian consumers in small mail shipments.
Flammable
The agency has several examples of products that are self-igniting, and bags and clothing that have toxic dyes.
“It does not matter to them what the cream we spread on our skin contains, what the toys are made of for children, or whether electrical products comply with safety standards,” said senior consultant, Elisabeth C. Nettum of the Customs Union.
International piracy studies pointed out that consumer acceptance is one of the drivers behind the extensive trade in counterfeit goods. The Norwegian survey shows that 36% of Norwegians who bought pirated goods had done it consciously.
Much online shopping
This year, over half of Norwegian consumers will shop for Christmas presents online, and more and more choose foreign online stores. Many of them sell pirated copies of well-known brands.
In order to help consumers avoid piracy, the Consumer Safety Authority has made a list of junk online stores that they have now updated with 32 new stores. Audit Director, Elisabeth Lier Haugseth, encouraged consumers to be critical when shopping online.
‘’Look for contact information, check the URL and how the language is formulated. We also recommend investigating other people’s experiences with the online store,” she said.
On the website, Velgekte.no, the government gives tips on how to avoid dangerous packages under the Christmas tree.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
