Amorim: NFC gives ‘insurance policy’ against counterfeit spirits

Spirits brands should invest in NFC technology as an insurance policy against fraud and counterfeit products, a leading closures producer has said.

Amorim has introduced NFC technology to its closures in an effort to tackle counterfeiting

Portuguese cork giant Amorim launched its new Tap Series earlier this year, which uses NFC technology via an embedded microchip to help brands combat counterfeiting. The microchip is loaded with data such as a serial number, production date and a link to the brand’s website, which can be used to provide exclusive information and help consumers identify authentic products.

Speaking to The Spirits Business, Hugo Mesquita, sales and marketing director at Amorim, said the costs of implementing NFC technology on bottles and closures should not be a barrier for spirits brands in the fight against counterfeits.

“It is worth it as an insurance policy before you’ve added in the marketing potential and ability to interact with your consumers,” said Mesquita. “Right now, NFC is widely available and you can see it in every credit card. The Internet of things is here.

“Will everyone adopt it? Maybe not, but are people going to use more of this technology to interact with brands? Yes, I have absolutely no doubt about that.”

Mesquita also highlighted the importance of creating closures that are more difficult for counterfeiters to replicate, and that more natural, craft and authentic-looking closures are harder to replicate than the more industrialised styles.

He said: “What is important is the number of layers of complexity that you can add to something to make life of the counterfeiter as difficult and miserable as possible. And that will cost them so much time and effort as to become less interesting.

“The more unique and complex you make your closure, the further you get away from generic packaging, and that makes it harder to copy.”

Sustainability

Earlier this year, Amorim reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability by investing in wooden stoppers.

The Amorim Top Series expanded with the launch of a 100% natural bar top stopper, which combines natural cork with a cork flange made from more than 50% cork and a new bio-based polymer material, which is exclusively made from renewable sources.

In a further commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, the Top Series stoppers can be used in Amorim’s recycling programme: Recork. The initiative turns used closures into flooring and insulation solutions.

Amorim’s goals include reducing the amount of packaging materials by 30%, inserting another 20% of product in each packaging or transport unit, and increasing the amount of product that can be stocked in the same place.