How to Compare Anti-Counterfeiting Solutions: A Vendor Checklist for Manufacturers

Manufacturers are no longer debating whether counterfeiting is a problem. They are dealing with its consequences. Counterfeit versions of high-value products continue to enter legitimate markets through distributors, online marketplaces, and parallel trade channels. The challenge is no longer about identifying poor imitations. Counterfeiters can now replicate packaging, labels, and codes with alarming speed and accuracy.

Traditional security features such as printed serial numbers, holograms, and static QR codes no longer provide reliable protection. This has driven a surge in demand for modern product authentication, product verification, and traceability solutions.

However, selecting the right anti-counterfeiting vendor has become increasingly difficult. Nearly every provider claims to offer secure labels, QR-based systems, serialisation, blockchain, or AI-driven solutions. Marketing language dominates sales conversations, while operational reality is often overlooked.

This checklist is intended to help manufacturers evaluate vendors based on capability, scalability, and risk reduction, not terminology.

Step 1: Confirm the Level of Clone Resistance

The first question manufacturers must ask is straightforward.

Can the solution be cloned?

Most counterfeit operations start by copying visible elements. This includes QR codes, serial numbers, barcodes, holograms, and even NFC tags. If a security feature is static or repeatable, it can be reproduced at scale.

Manufacturers should insist on clear answers to the following:

• Does the solution use non-cloneable technology that cannot be copied through printing, scanning, or photography?
• Is each unit physically unique, rather than part of a repeated pattern?
• Does the system detect duplicate scans in real time?
• Is there protection against copied QR codes redirecting users to fake verification pages?

If duplication cannot be detected at the unit level, the solution will fail once product volumes increase. Clone resistance is the foundation of any credible anti-counterfeiting strategy.

Step 2: Validate the Authentication Method

Authentication typically occurs in two situations.
A distributor, inspector, or regulator verifies a product during movement, or a consumer verifies a product at the point of purchase.

The method must be reliable, fast, and consistent in both cases.

Key evaluation points include:

• Does authentication occur in real time?
• Is continuous internet connectivity mandatory?
• Can the system support offline or fallback verification?
• Is the result unambiguous, clearly indicating genuine or not genuine?
• Is the verification interface protected from phishing and redirection attacks?

If authentication is slow, unreliable, or confusing, adoption will decline quickly. Verification only works when it fits naturally into field operations and consumer behaviour.

Step 3: Assess Traceability Depth

Many solutions are sold as QR or barcode-based systems. Identification alone is insufficient.

Manufacturers require product traceability across the entire supply chain, not just at dispatch or sale.

Important checks include:

• Does the vendor support serialisation at both the unit and batch level?
• Can product movement be tracked beyond the warehouse to distributors and retail points?
• Are scans linked to time stamps and geolocation?
• Can the system detect diversion, substitution, or parallel trade?

A secure label without traceability leaves gaps in supply chain visibility. Effective brand protection requires authentication combined with continuous track and trace.

Step 4: Ensure Integration With Existing Systems

Most manufacturers already operate ERP, WMS, LIMS, and distributor management platforms. An anti-counterfeiting system should integrate into this ecosystem, not disrupt it.

Manufacturers should evaluate:

• Does the vendor provide APIs for ERP or WMS integration?
• Can batch and production data be synced automatically?
• Is onboarding straightforward for packaging vendors and printers?
• Can the solution support multiple SKUs and packaging formats?

Operational disruption during rollout is a common reason authentication programmes stall. A strong vendor minimises friction and supports phased deployment.

Step 5: Review Data Security and Compliance

Authentication platforms collect sensitive information, including batch data, product metadata, scan locations, and verification history. Data security and compliance are non-negotiable.

Key questions include:

• Is data encrypted at rest and in transit?
• Does the system comply with standards such as ISO and GDPR?
• Are audit logs maintained for regulatory inspection?
• Who owns the authentication and verification data?
• Can manufacturers export their data independently?

Data ownership is critical. If vendors control access to verification data, manufacturers risk long-term dependency and reduced operational autonomy.

Step 6: Evaluate Scalability and Field Adoption

Many anti-counterfeiting initiatives fail because field adoption remains low. Complex workflows discourage distributors, inspectors, and retail partners.

Manufacturers should assess:

• Can authentication be performed using standard smartphones?
• Are scan times fast enough for high-volume environments?
• Can the platform handle millions of products without performance issues?
• Does the vendor have experience with large-scale deployments?
• Is packaging implementation repeatable across plants and regions?

Scalability must be proven, not promised. Solutions that work in pilots often break under real-world volumes.

Step 7: Confirm Analytics and Actionable Intelligence

Authentication should provide more than a binary result.

Manufacturers need insights that support decision-making across compliance, supply chain management, and brand protection.​

Analytics should answer questions such as:

• Where are counterfeit hotspots emerging?
• Are there abnormal scan patterns indicating duplication or diversion?
• Can distributor-level substitution be identified?
• Is product movement visible in near real time?
• Are alerts triggered automatically when anomalies appear?

Without analytics, authentication remains a defensive tool. With analytics, it becomes a source of operational intelligence.

Step 8: Evaluate the Consumer Verification Experience

Product verification increasingly influences customer trust and satisfaction.

For many consumers, scanning a product is a reassurance step. The experience must reinforce credibility rather than create doubt.

Manufacturers should consider:

• Is the verification interface professional and brand-aligned?
• Can scans trigger warranty registration or loyalty engagement?
• Does the experience educate consumers on how to identify genuine products?

Well-designed consumer verification strengthens brand authentication and builds confidence at the point of purchase.

Step 9: Validate Vendor Capability and Support

Anti-counterfeiting is an ongoing programme, not a one-time deployment. Packaging changes, new SKUs, regulatory updates, and integrations require continuous support.

Manufacturers should ensure the vendor provides:

• Dedicated technical support
• On-ground onboarding for packaging and operations teams
• Regular platform updates
• Predictable response times for issues

Counterfeiters adapt quickly. Vendors must evolve just as fast.

Final Evaluation Framework

A credible anti-counterfeiting vendor should demonstrate strength across these areas:

• Non-cloneable physical security
• Real-time product authentication
• Deep product traceability
• System integration capability
• Strong data security and compliance
• Proven scalability
• Actionable analytics
• Reliable consumer verification experience
• Long-term operational support

Weaknesses in multiple areas will limit the effectiveness of any solution.

What Acviss Provides

Manufacturers seeking reliable brand protection should evaluate vendors against this checklist, not marketing claims.

For brands that require non-cloneable product authentication, real-time verification, track and trace, and supply chain visibility, Acviss offers a unified platform designed to scale across industries and geographies.

If you are interested in reviewing your current approach to product verification or exploring a more resilient anti-counterfeiting strategy, get in touch with us.​