People visiting your workplace
Letting traders onto your premises to sell items to your staff could leave your business facing legal liability. It can also compromise your site security plans.
External stalls/sellers
Some companies host shopping evenings for staff and/or allow individual traders to 'tout their wares' around the office. Products being sold generally include such things as handbags, clothing, cigarettes, toys, CDs and DVDs, and jewellery. Company directors and managers should take all reasonable precautions in verifying that such traders are not selling counterfeit or pirated goods.
Case study
In 2010 a 36 year old male was targeted by The Federation Against of Copyright Theft (FACT) investigators after he was observed entering numerous shops in a Glasgow shopping centre in possession of a large bag.
He was arrested by police after selling counterfeit DVDs in a local public house. He was found in possession of approximately 200 counterfeit film DVDs and 50 pornographic DVDs. He was subsequently charged with copyright offences and received eight months' imprisonment.
All property was forfeited.
Practical advice, guidance and tools are available to help you deal with Intellectual Property (IP) rights infringement including specific advice for Human Resources (HR), procurement and Information Technology (IT) on what can be done to combat it. It is important to consult you legal advisers for advice and assistance in establishing suitable policies and guidance for staff.