Radley bites back at fakers

Handbag brand Radley is to put anti-counterfeiting technology on its products from autumn 08.

The brand, which has a distinctive Scotty dog logo, will use LCD technology on labels inside its bags to help shoppers identify genuine product.

Radley, owned by private equity firm Phoenix, has increasingly fallen victim to counterfeiting in recent years. Chief executive Roger Best said the company was spending a "significant" amount of money on the new technology to combat fakes.

"Some manufacturers are copying handbags, others will use other animals as swing tags, which can make shoppers think it could be a sister brand," he said. "We have had fake product removed from eBay and are working with customs and trading standards to identify counterfeits. This technology is impossible to copy. It will let our stockists and shoppers immediately identify genuine product."

All Radley product will have a label inside featuring the dog logo. It will change from a positive to a negative image when moved, with a similar appearance to a hologram but with more sophisticated technology.

Radley, which is being courted by several potential bidders, will open its first Scottish store in February at Royal Exchange Square in Glasgow.