Operators are being warned to avoid counterfeit conspicuity tapes flooding the market, which pose a serious risk to road users and could result in legal action.

An influx of the reflective tapes for HGVs from non-compliant manufacturers, particularly in China, has spearheaded a campaign by a UK manufacturer for hauliers to be more aware of the issues and avoid costly payouts, as well as “potentially devastating” insurance premiums.

Freight Products said the fake tapes may appear legitimate at first glance and were often sold at cheaper prices, but they failed to meet strict safety standards.

It said the compromise in quality resulted in tapes that lacked reflectivity, degraded quickly and underperformed in adverse weather conditions.

This means vehicles fitted with counterfeit tapes are harder to see in the dark or during poor weather and could result in accidents.

It also pointed out that authentic tapes bear an indelible or embedded ‘E-mark’ certification indicating that they meet UNECE standards, whereas fake or non-conforming tapes have a black overprint E-mark that can be removed easily.

Freight Products said they may offer short-term savings, but the long-term costs to a haulage business could be significant.

It said vehicles failing to meet European requirements could be subject to fines and penalties – and in the event of an accident, possible legal ramifications if it was proven that poor visibility contributed to the incident

Steve Hamley, UK & Ireland sales manager at Freight Products, said: “For fleet operators, this can mean not only hefty fines but also potential lawsuits.”

He added: “Using counterfeit tapes can void your vehicle’s insurance policy.

“In many cases, insurers will deny claims if the vehicle was found to be using non-compliant or fake products that contributed to an accident. This could leave your business facing costly payouts and increased insurance premiums.

“Furthermore, your brand reputation may suffer irreparable harm if it becomes public knowledge that safety standards were compromised to save costs.”

Freight Products said it was in discussions with the DVSA and VCA about the issue and was pushing for distributors and end users to be more aware of the issues and consequences around buying, distributing and fitting counterfeit tape.

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