Forty markets in Lincolnshire have been praised for signing up to a nationwide consumer-friendly ‘Fake-Free Markets’ charter.

Run locally by Lincolnshire Trading Standards, the charter protects local shoppers and legitimate businesses by helping to stamp out rogue traders and counterfeit products.

By signing up and displaying the ‘Real Deal’ logo, markets, car boot sales or selling groups reassure consumers that they can expect to buy genuine brands and quality goods.

Angela Kane, senior trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “In a bid to make Lincolnshire’s markets fake free, over the past 10 years, we’ve encouraged markets to sign up to the Real Deal Market charter: making a commitment to safe and fair trading at their markets.

“Local markets are at the heart of our communities, so we need to keep both the traders and shoppers safe.

“Visitors and shoppers can reassured that if they buy an item from one of the 40 markets across Lincolnshire, accredited with the Real Deal Charter, the item should not be counterfeit, illegal or dangerous.”

Louth market has been a member for the past seven years.

Esther Belton, operations support manager at East Lindsey District Council, who runs the market, commented: “The Real Deal campaign plays a vital role in ensuring our fantastic markets are free of counterfeit and illegal goods and help us provide our residents with a safe and reputable shopping environment.”

Although a large number of outlets have signed up to the scheme, the NMG is using this 10th anniversary milestone to urge more markets to join the initiative.

Patricia Lennon, national coordinator of the ‘Real Deal’ Campaign for the National Markets Group, said: “The Real Deal and ‘Fake Free Markets’ charter has proved to be a huge reassurance for shoppers. We cannot praise highly enough the commitment we have seen from markets in Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire Trading Standards who have jointly signed up to the charter to protect their customers from buying untested, poor quality, potentially unsafe counterfeit products.

“In displaying the ‘Real Deal’ logo, a market gives reassurance to shoppers that it is a safe place to buy and sell. It also sends a strong ‘keep out’ message to any would-be traders in counterfeits who have no scruples when it comes to selling sub-standard products.”

Graham Mogg, chair of NMG, said: “Counterfeit products are not only bad news for consumers, but also for legitimate, hard-working local business owners who risk losing sales.

“When counterfeits find their way into a market environment, the revenue goes to the black market rather than the economy. The trade in fakes is frequently found to be linked to organised crime – something that would horrify most shoppers or traders if they knew.”

More information on the Real Deal campaign and its 10th anniversary celebrations can be found at www.realdealmarkets.co.uk.

For details of real deal markets in Lincolnshire visit www.realdealmarkets.co.uk/markets