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Buy Safe America Coalition welcomes new members
10 Sep '20
2 min read
Pic: Buy Safe America
The Buy Safe America Coalition, a group of retailers, consumer groups and manufacturers who support efforts to combat organised retail crime (ORC) and protect consumers from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods, recently announced new apparel industry leaders, including Gap, Levi Strauss & Co., JC Penney and Birkenstock Americas, are joining the coalition.
The new members also include prominent clothing and apparel trade organisations.
The coalition is urging the US Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act, modernise consumer protection laws by requiring online marketplaces to collect and verify basic seller information, and require sellers to provide that information to consumers, the coalition said in a statement.
ORC poses a serious threat to clothing and apparel companies, with criminals targeting everything from everyday essentials to high-end goods like designer fashion and luxury brands.
According to the US department of homeland security, apparel and other types of accessories, along with footwear, top the list of goods and products that are routinely prone to counterfeiting and trafficking.
“Clothing and apparel retail stores that line Main Streets across the country are on the forefront of the fight against counterfeits and stolen goods,” said Michael Hanson, spokesperson for the coalition.
“America’s largest apparel companies share our mission to protect consumers and communities and are urging Congress to pass basic transparency and verification requirements to make it harder for bad actors to peddle stolen and counterfeit goods,” he added.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), an initial supporter of the coalition, echoed calls for action. “For too long, bad actors have taken advantage of the current framework to hide their true identities when selling counterfeit and stolen apparel, footwear, and accessories online,” said Steve Lamar, AAFA’s president.
The new members also include prominent clothing and apparel trade organisations.
The coalition is urging the US Congress to pass the INFORM Consumers Act, modernise consumer protection laws by requiring online marketplaces to collect and verify basic seller information, and require sellers to provide that information to consumers, the coalition said in a statement.
ORC poses a serious threat to clothing and apparel companies, with criminals targeting everything from everyday essentials to high-end goods like designer fashion and luxury brands.
According to the US department of homeland security, apparel and other types of accessories, along with footwear, top the list of goods and products that are routinely prone to counterfeiting and trafficking.
“Clothing and apparel retail stores that line Main Streets across the country are on the forefront of the fight against counterfeits and stolen goods,” said Michael Hanson, spokesperson for the coalition.
“America’s largest apparel companies share our mission to protect consumers and communities and are urging Congress to pass basic transparency and verification requirements to make it harder for bad actors to peddle stolen and counterfeit goods,” he added.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), an initial supporter of the coalition, echoed calls for action. “For too long, bad actors have taken advantage of the current framework to hide their true identities when selling counterfeit and stolen apparel, footwear, and accessories online,” said Steve Lamar, AAFA’s president.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
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