CHRISTMAS shoppers are being urged to avoid buying fake goods.

The scale of organised intellectual property crime and counterfeiting in the UK is estimated to be at least £90million every year and dodgy imports have already started coming in, with a huge single haul of more than 170,000 fake and substandard toys and Christmas lights intercepted by customs at Dover in November.

In 2013/14 UK Customs detained a total of 21,000 consignments of fake goods at UK borders.

Clackmannanshire Council is advising people to avoid ruining Christmas, by steering clear of counterfeit goods.

Councillor Donald Balsillie, enterprise and environment convener, said: “You may not have imagined trading standards officers to be a key element of your happy Christmas, but without their essential work in the background, our festive meals and presents could easily turn into disappointment, or disaster.

“Trading standards officers are on the frontline of consumer protection, working hard to remove from the market place the poorly made concoctions of criminals out to make a quick buck at the expense of honest traders and the safety of shoppers.

“This Christmas, when buying your presents, don’t give the kiss of death – avoid fakes and celebrate safely. We understand that cheaper products can always be tempting but if it turns out to be counterfeit or substandard, then it could be putting you or a loved one at risk. With half of all house fires caused by faulty electrical goods, buying a knock-off product can be a cost too high to pay.” Christmas spending in the UK is set to reach £22 billion this year and while a cheap deal on the must have gift may seem appealing in the moment, it is a false economy that can have frightening consequences.

Counterfeit make-up can contain lead, copper, mercury, arsenic or cadmium and can cause swelling, rashes and poisoning, while fake alcohol can contain methanol, antifreeze and fuel, causing nausea, stomach pains, kidney or liver problems, coma or death.

Unofficial children’s merchandise such as toys and dressing-up clothes could pose numerous hazards with small loose parts, long cords and materials that are toxic or not conforming to fire retardant standards.

Poor quality and missing components in fake electrical goods and chargers can lead to electric shocks, fires and explosions.

If in doubt contact Clackmannanshire Council Trading Standards Service by emailing consumeradvice@stirling.gov.uk or by calling 01786 443322 or the manufacturer.

While it can be difficult for a consumer to tell if goods are genuine or not there are some simple precautions that can be taken: Remember the Four Ps: �-� Place - Certain items, for example high value, luxury goods, are unlikely to be sold legitimately on market stalls. They are generally only sold at exclusive, authorised outlets. If you are offered these to sell by a street trader, at a market or in a pop-up shop – then be suspicious.

�-� Price - If the price of goods seems too good to be true, then the goods may well be fake.

�-� Packaging – If a variety of different brands are offered in the same packaging – eg a standard cellophane wrapper – that should set alarm bells ringing. Also, look out for spelling mistakes on the packaging.

�-� Product – If the quality of a product is dubious, you should beware. Likewise, if a batch of standard, low-value items, such as basic tshirts, has simply been over-printed with a range of different brand logos, they are likely to be cheap copies that have been churned out in an unauthorised factory.