Campaign launched against those importing without meeting legal rules
Samsung UK is launching a campaign against importers and resellers who are passing off non-UK products as UK-certified stock.
The manufacturer says it has become aware that the European products, mainly consisting of phones and tablets, have been imported and modified without the legal rules being met.
Modifications include the removal of packaging, resulting in damage to the device, the placing of counterfeit three-pin plugs in boxes and alterations to the software on the devices.
While it is legal to import and sell unmodified stock from Europe, Samsung can object to sales of products if their condition has changed and has the right to void the warranty of any device that has been modified.
According to Samsung UK sales director James Kitto, the decision to take action has been fuelled by rise in customers raising concerns about modified stock.
He adds that he is confident that authorised Samsung importers, distributors and resellers are not making these modifications.
“These are not partners of ours; these are unauthorised importers and a handful of players in the market who undertake this activity,” says Kitto.
“We are going to be taking action against a number of importers and resellers who we feel are illegally modifying non-UK stock and will talk to them directly.
“We want to protect our customers from being misled, so those making modifications need to reach an agreement with Samsung to notify the customer with labelling on the packaging or inserts inside the box.”
