Supply Chain & Logistics

Counterfeit product detection in supply chain

Use computer vision and data analysis to identify counterfeit or grey-market products entering the supply chain. Compare product images, packaging, and documentation against authenticated references.

AutomationPattern-matchingAccuracyCost reduction

20–40%

improvement in counterfeit detection rates

Opportunity assessment

Business Impact
2

Minor improvement. Small efficiency gain with limited effect on overall turnover or bottom line.

Feasibility
2

Challenging. Significant technical work required. Likely needs an AI engineer or specialist vendor. Not a quick win.

Data Readiness
2

Demanding data requirements. Relies on clean, integrated data across multiple systems. Significant data preparation work typically needed.

Risk Exposure
2

High risk. Significant external exposure or regulatory implications. Requires robust oversight and clear accountability.

Change Complexity
3

Moderate people impact. Part of someone's working day changes. Requires training and some adjustment time, but roles remain broadly the same.

Tooling required

Computer visionSpecialist AI tool

Things to consider

  • This is most relevant for luxury goods, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and branded consumer goods where counterfeiting creates significant financial and reputational risk.

  • The model needs a comprehensive library of authenticated product images and packaging to compare against. Building this reference library is the first step.

  • Counterfeiters adapt quickly — a detection system that catches today's fakes will need regular updates as the counterfeiting techniques evolve.

  • Experiment starter: Source 20 known authentic products and 20 known counterfeits (from seizures, marketplace purchases, or test buys). Run them through a visual comparison model to measure detection accuracy. If the model distinguishes authentic from counterfeit at 85%+ accuracy, it's worth developing further.

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