Shoppers are being assured that goods at Flintshire’s markets are the real deal.

In the first initiative of its kind in the UK, Flintshire County Council has joined forces with the five other authorities in North Wales to launch The Real Deal charter across the region’s markets.
The county’s four council-run markets in Mold, Holywell, Flint and Connah’s Quay have signed up to the UK wide charter which is aimed at keeping counterfeit traders out.

The initiative sets out a code of practice and will see market traders working closely with trading standards officers to keep their markets fake free. It’s been launched in the run up to Christmas to enable procedures and advice for traders to be in place for the busy festive season.

Flintshire County Councillor Kevin Jones, Cabinet Member for Public Protection said:

“We have excellent thriving markets in Flintshire and this initiative is an excellent opportunity to promote markets that are free of fake goods. The market operators in Flintshire have been very supportive of the Real Deal and what it is seeking to achieve. Well-run markets, offering genuine bargains, are great for shoppers, local traders and the wider community and anything that helps to preserve that, by keeping out fake-goods-sellers, is hugely welcomed by the whole market community.”

Kevin Jones, Chair of the North Wales Trading Standards Group, and head of Wrexham Council’s Trading Standards, said:

“Like all markets across the UK, those in North Wales can be susceptible, at any time, to infiltration by sellers of counterfeit goods and other illicit products. This is particularly the case in the pre-Christmas shopping period when shoppers are searching for bargains and can be duped into buying fake goods by unscrupulous sellers. The Real Deal charter sets out clear, practical procedures for market operators to help them to stay fake-free.

Patricia Lennon, Campaign Director of the Real Deal, said:

“This partnership approach by the six local authorities in North Wales is a real show of force against the criminals who are behind the trade in fake goods. By introducing the Real Deal Charter and displaying the logo, markets and trading standards services across North Wales are sending a strong ‘keep out’ message to the counterfeiting con-men who do not care about ripping off consumers, selling unsafe products or damaging local businesses.

Information on the Real Deal Charter, and a list of all markets that have signed up its fake-free ethos, can be found at www.realdealmarkets.co.uk