LUXURY goods house Cartier is calling for copycat legislation to stop the copycats in Hong Kong.
While the territory remains a hotbed for hawkers of pirated goods, the company wants to see the introduction of a French law which makes it a crime to possess a trademark fake.
This will help Cartier win the battle against the counterfeit cowboys, which now costs the company about US$3.5 million (HK$27.3 million) every year, plus an annual FF25 million (HK$33.5 million) to protect its trademark in law.
Marc Frisanco, director of the Intellectual Property Department of Cartier International, said: ''The consumer is the principal reason for the action of counterfeiters. We cannot tolerate that anybody can provoke counterfeiters by wanting to buy fakes. He cannot ride on the reputation of famous brands.'' While he admitted there were practical difficulties in enforcing a law which made possession an offence, he believed it would ''sooner or later'' hit consumer conscience.
''In France, if people bring in a counterfeit Cartier watch for after-sale service, we seize them. They don't dare buy any more.'' People who buy counterfeit goods are accomplices in fraud, according to local intellectual property lawyer Tom Hope, but he said the implications of the sort of legislation called for by Cartier were ''draconian''.
''I cannot see the introduction of such a law without a lot of debate. The resulting likely incursions on individual privacy is an issue here.'' In terms of enforcing the law, Mr Hope said there were always courses of action that could be found. ''For example, there could be raids on office blocks and all fake watches found could be impounded.'' With more than 100 Cartier counterfeit investigations to deal with every year, the company's Hong Kong lawyer Yvonne Chua, is adamant: ''Personally I would like to see legislation in Hong Kong where possession of a counterfeit is punishable by a fine. When you buy a counterfeit you are encouraging the industry.'' After 15 years of struggle, Cartier is slowly beating the local racketeers - you will no longer find a fake Cartier in boutiques on Nathan Road - but they now also face threats of fakes coming over the border from China which, says Mr Frisanco, ''will jeopardise all our good work''.