Consumer Verification System for Authentic Product: Case Study of Manufactured Product

The problem of fake products by counterfeiters and unregistered manufacturers is real and constitutes a major threat to the health and safety of the Nigerian population. A descriptive study was carried out on the present means of identifying authentic products and fake ones by the members of the society in this work. The sources of information for this work include online journals, NAFDAC sites and face to face interviews with members of the society both student in the University of Ibadan and consumers in Ibadan and its environ. All the respondents agreed that there is a fake and counterfeit drug problem in Nigeria, and many considered this a major problem. The respondents commonly used visual security techniques before drug purchasing. These were: Seals/embossments, character of print, and mobile authentication system. The respondents’ most likely action after a counterfeit drug encounter was to return the drug back to the supplier. The study showed that consumers should be giving privileges to authenticate products before it is being purchased or consumed. There is an indication that the present system (such as NAFDAC registration number and Mobile Authentication System) has limitation to achieve 100% authentication process since the system can be copied by counterfeiters. This study proposes a solution to the limitation of the existing system by developing a bar code authenticating system. The system uses 13 digit code consisting of a series of vertical bars of variable width that are scanned by a laser; printed on consumer product packages, to identify the item from a computer that provides the information about the product and registers inventory information. This system gives a 100% authenticity and trust to the society because there is no two products that can have same barcode and this code cannot be easily guessed by counterfeiters or uploaded to the consumer's verification system database.