Fake Tyres & Batteries in the EU — What the EUIPO Found, and How Dupeblock Locks It Down

Counterfeits in tyres and batteries aren’t just an economic drag—they’re a road-safety risk. The EUIPO’s sector study quantified the damage and highlights why on-product, first-party authentication is now essential.

Key Findings at a Glance

• Direct losses (annually): ~€2.2B in the tyre sector (~7.5% of sales) and ~€180M in
  batteries (~1.8%).
  The combined impact: ~8,400 jobs lost and roughly €340M in forgone tax revenue each year.
• Origins & channels: China—and in some studies, South Korea—appear as the primary
  sources. Sales are pushed heavily online with additional leakage into physical markets.
• Safety: Counterfeit tyres and batteries often bypass testing, creating serious risks
  for drivers and vehicle systems.

Context: The EU Tyre Label Already Uses QR — Make It Secure

Since Regulation (EU) 2020/740, new tyre labels must include a QR code linking to EPREL, the EU’s
product database, for official specs.
That’s excellent for transparency—
but a “plain” QR is still copyable.
The fix: pair the EPREL label with a copy-proof QR code to authenticate the label itself.

The Dupeblock Approach for Tyres & Batteries

1) Dupeblock Copy-Proof QR (On-Pack / On-Part)

A QR code containing an embedded copy-detection image.
If counterfeiters scan, reprint, or re-lay out your label, the micro-features degrade—and a standard
smartphone flags the code as Suspicious on the first scan.

2) Authentication Agent on Your Domain (brand.com/verify)

Route authenticity checks through a first-party page—not a spoofable landing.
Works for consumers, distributors, mechanics, and marketplaces.

3) Dupeblock Verify (Telemetry & Enforcement)

• Hotspot maps (geo, SKU, channel).
• Repeat-offender patterns.
• Real-time alerts & blacklisting.
• Exportable evidence packs for marketplace takedowns and regulator cooperation.

Practical Placements

Tyres

• Pair the mandated EPREL QR on the tyre label/sticker with a Dupeblock Copy-Proof QR.
• Use an adjacent badge or label overlay.
• Add an under-bead or inner-label version for B2B and distributor-level checks.

Batteries

• Carton seal, on-cell sleeve, warranty card, or RMA label.
• Optional serialization for recalls, warranty programs, and diversion detection.

What You Get

• Point-of-sale & returns confidence: retailers and service centers verify inbound/outbound stock.
• Cleaner data: counterfeit scans no longer pollute analytics.
• Faster enforcement: first-scan failures trigger action immediately—not weeks later.

Quick Rollout Checklist

• Add Copy-Proof QR next to your EPREL label (tyres) or on battery packaging/parts.
• Publish brand.com/verify with the Authentication Agent.
• Train distributors and retailers; provide a “How to verify” one-pager.
• Enable alerts and blacklisting in Dupeblock Verify; set anomaly thresholds.
• Align with marketplaces to integrate a simple verification step on disputed listings.

Bottom Line

The EU numbers make the case; Dupeblock makes the fix practical—
turn every unit into its own proof of authenticity.

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