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The Automotive Brand Protection Coalition, Middle East (ABPC) the non profit making organisation dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of using counterfeit car parts in the Middle East whose members are BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota, has launched its website www.nofakeparts.com and announced the production and distribution of an information leaflet.
Set up in 2002 the Coalition has to date concentrated on meeting with officials to discuss ways to stop counterfeits getting in to the market place and providing training to government bodies that enables them to identify and stop infringing goods.
Consumer Education
However that is only part of the fight. Educating the consumer about the dangers of counterfeit goods thus enabling them to make more informed choices and therefore purchases' is recognised the world over as an essential part of the fight against counterfeiters.
'Unfortunately at the moment there is not a culture amongst the majority of consumers in the Middle East to question why a particular branded product is so much cheaper in one outlet than another. It is this lack of consumer awareness coupled with the desire to save money but still to be seen with the 'desirable brands' that creates a perfect market for the counterfeiters,' a spokesperson for the Coalition said.
The Middle East has one of the highest car ownership levels in the world. It is also a market that is evolving with cars being kept for longer periods than before, especially in Saudi Arabia. This means that the demand for spare parts is growing across the region. Unfortunately this demand is coupled with relatively low public awareness about safe maintenance, a desire for cheap repairs and garages and parts shops that meet this demand with substandard workmanship and parts.
'It was the realisation that there was a genuine lack of readily available and easy to understand information about the dangers of using counterfeit car parts written specifically for the Middle East market, that lead to the development of our website and the production of the leaflet. Both the website and the leaflet are the first of its kind in the Middle East and probably the world. They have been designed to be as accessible as possible and to provide information in a clear and concise way. '
The leaflet has been printed in Arabic and English initially and is being distributed in Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
There is also an e-mail address and phone number that will enable the public or garage owners to report counterfeit goods.
'These two activities mark an important milestone for the Coalition. It shows the counterfeiters that we are serious in our message and that by educating the public we will reduce the demand for their dangerous products,' said the spokesperson.
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For more information:
Saada Hammad
Communications and PR Manager
General Motors Middle East
Tel: (009714) 3143350
saada.hammad@gm.com
About GM
General Motors, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, was founded in 1908 and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today employs 342,000 people and has manufacturing operations in 32 countries. Its vehicles are sold in more than 192 countries. In 2003, GM sold more than 8.6 million cars and trucks, nearly 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM's global headquarters is in Detroit .
GM has been operating in the Middle East since the early 1940's. GM's vehicle brands sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Opel and Saab support ed by a unique set of customer focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the company's operations in Saudi Arabia , Kuwait , UAE, Bahrain , Qatar , Oman , Jordan , Lebanon , Syria , Yemen and Iraq .
In 2003, GM sold around 60,000 vehicles in the Middle East and the company continues to introduce pioneering programs in the region.
More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer websites www.gm.com and www.gmarabia.com |
