According to a study undertaken by the British Brands Group, one in three consumers have mistakenly bought the wrong product after being confused by similar packaging.

The organisation which represents UK brand-owners accused supermarkets of cynically attempting to cash in on the success of well-established brands by producing products that copy their design.

"Parasitic (or copycat) packaging is used by competitors to boost sales by confusing and misleading consumers," said the BBG in its report. "Distinctive features of a brand's packaging are hijacked in order to dupe shoppers into buying something they believe to be that brand, made by the brand manufacturer or sharing the reputation of that brand. The competitor gets a free ride on the back of the brand's reputation, investment and innovative efforts."

The study found that 65% of consumers said similar packaging can be confusing or misleading. Products such as Asda's You'd Butter Believe It margarine was found to be virtually identical to the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter brand from Unilever, as was Lidl's Jammy Rings which the report says was a copy of the brand-name Jammy Dodgers biscuits.

The BBG has called on the Office of Fair Trading and trading standards officers to investigate and take legal action where firms are found to have been trying to pass off a product as something else.                                      
                                                                                                     SOURCE:AGIPNEWS