New digital chip tackles counterfeit spirits

New digital technology that could solve the problem of counterfeit spirits is to be unveiled at Vinexpo Hong Kong from 27 to 29 May.

Inside Secure and Selinko have developed new digital technology to combat fraudulent spirits bottlings

Inside Secure, a leader in embedded security solutions for mobile and connected devices, and Selinko, the object identification company, will demonstrate CapSeal, a smart, patent-pending and secure system to combat counterfeit wine and spirits products.

Capseal, a bank-certification level solution, will allow consumers and buyers to scan the chip embedded in the tag and by using the Selinko mobile application to verify the bottle’s authenticity and confirm it has not been opened before.

The chip confirms the capsule on the bottle has not been tampered with and that the cork has not been removed.

“There is a strong demand from our customers to adopt a system that prevents the fraudulent refilling of bottles of wine and spirits and that can be easily implemented,” said Patrick Eischen, CEO at Selinko. “Inside Secure’s CapSeal combined with Selinko’s platform is a technology breakthrough to tackle those problems.”

CapSeal comprises an Inside Secure ValtIC 150X chip connected to an antenna that is inserted on the neck of the bottle, just above the cork.

The tag is mechanically deactivated when removing the capsule bottle to prevent it from being refilled.

The system is compatible with current capsule bottles, meaning spirits producers will not have to replace their standard corks and bottle caps to implement the technology.

“Inside Secure and Selinko have been working closely together for more than a year to develop this solution, which combines a strong authentication mechanism with a tag deactivation when the bottle is opened,” said Bernard Vian, EVP, Secure Transactions division at Inside Secure. “We are very pleased to have succeeded and to provide the wine and spirits industry with the most effective anti-counterfeiting solution.”

Counterfeit spirits have been an on-going problem for the industry for many years. In 2012, more than 30 people in the Czech Republic died after consuming bootleg alcohol, leading to a partial prohibition in the country, while earlier this year, poisonous counterfeit spirits killed 14 people in Russia and hospitalised 11 more.