About the Campaign

The Real Deal campaign was launched in June 2009, bringing together local authorities, market operators, trading standards, other enforcement agencies, trademark and copyright owners – all with a common objective to keep traders in fake and other illicit goods out of UK markets and car boot fairs.

The overall aim of the campaign is to ensure that markets remain safe and fair venues in which to shop and to trade.

At the heart of the campaign is the Real Deal National Charter, which is underpinned by local codes of practice to reflect local circumstances. Click here to view the charter. http://www.realdealmarkets.co.uk/charter.pdf

What are the benefit of joining the Real Deal?

Being part of the Real Deal scheme offers the following benefits to market operators:

• increases consumer confidence that they will get genuine bargains at your market;

• demonstrates support to legitimate traders at your market;

• provides a positive PR message to send to the local media and wider community;

• sends a strong warning to illicit traders that they will not be tolerated;

• strengthens links with trading standards and puts procedures in place to deal with any problems from illicit traders;

• demonstrates joined-up working between departments within the local authority;

• provides free-of-charge Real Deal posters, stickers, trader advice leaflets and use of the Real Deal logo for display on your market’s materials.

Who is the campaign endorsed by?

Valuable endorsement for the campaign has been received from the UK-Intellectual Property Office; the Local Government Group; the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA); the Trading Standards Institute (TSI); the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA); the Markets Alliance; the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF); In effect, all the key organisations, with an interest in this issue in England and Wales, have joined forces under the Real Deal campaign banner to tackle the problem.

“The Real Deal Campaign is making real progress and there has been a significant increase in the number of markets signing up. Nabma is a keen supporter of Real Deal as it creates effective partnership arrangements between market operators and enforcement agencies and gives consumers greater confidence in buying from markets. No genuine market operator should have any reservations about joining the Real Deal Campaign.”

Graham Wilson, Chief Executive of the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA)

Is there a cost to Join the Real Deal?

There is no cost for markets to join the Real Deal scheme. The campaign management and all the materials provided to markets are funded entirely by its sponsors comprising industry groups representing music, film and trademark owners as well as a number of individual brand owners, so that there is no drain on the public purse.

How do I join the Real Deal?

Joining the Real Deal is a straight forward process.

1. The first step is to look at the information on www.realdealmarkets.co.uk or request an information pack from the Real Deal office below.

2. Then, let your local trading standards department know that you would like to sign the Real Deal charter and code of practice with them. A representative from the trading standards department will be the second signatory to the charter. A template code of practice is available to download from the Real Deal website. The trading standards department will agree with you the final operational details to be contained within the code of practice.

3. Once you have agreed with trading standards a date to sign the charter, contact the Real Deal office to confirm that you are proceeding to sign the charter and to request any display material that you may wish to use for your charter signing photo opportunity.

4. When the charter signing has taken place, send a copy of the signed charter and the code of practice and the names of the market(s) covered by the charter. You will then be sent a certificate for display at each market.

Where can I find out more?

For more information go to http://www.realdealmarkets.co.uk

or speak to:

Patricia Lennon

Real Deal Campaign Coordinator

Tel: 01943 816292.

Email: (Enable Javascript to see the email address)