BARGAIN hunters are being urged to be on their guard against fake goods at local markets and car boot sales over the bank holiday weekend.
The warning comes after Trading Standards officers at Staffordshire County Council have seized thousands of illegal and counterfeit goods over the past 12 months.
Officials said that poor quality imitations might be offered for sale at events taking place over the weekend.
Tony Shore, Trading Standards manager at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“We’re seeing a huge increase in the availability of counterfeit goods, which we’re working hard to tackle.
“While the majority of items are being sold online and through second hand market platforms like Vinted and Depop, we still get reports of goods popping up at car boot sales and markets. These can certainly be a great place to pick up a bargain but you need to be careful you don’t get caught out.
“Fakes are increasingly hard to detect just to look at, so when something is being sold at a knock-down price, people should be extremely wary.”
People can report counterfeit goods being sold on the Trading Standards website or by calling the confidential helpline on 01785 330356.
