By Erin Judge, managing editor, PostPress

As technology and artificial intelligence become increasingly sophisticated, counterfeiters are finding it easier than ever to replicate products and deceive consumers. In 2021, global trade in counterfeit goods was estimated at $467 billion – 2.3% of total global imports. ¹ That figure is expected to continue to rise – especially in sectors like pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, food and beverage, trading and playing cards, and high-end electronics – with even higher prevalence in regions like Asia, Africa and Latin America.

To protect authenticity, ensure consumer safety and preserve brand integrity, companies increasingly are investing in anti-counterfeit packaging technologies. With the global market for anti-counterfeit packaging projected to reach $234.7 billion by 2030 ², PostPress spoke with leading suppliers developing next-generation solutions – integrating specialty foils and films with cutting-edge technology – to explore the latest advancements in anti-counterfeit packaging.

Evolving Solutions Designed to Meet Evolving Threats

Integral to creating effective anti-counterfeit packaging are security films and foils that combine a variety of visual and digital authentication features. These can include holograms and micro-text printing, UV-visible inks, QR codes and serialization, nano-imprinting and digital watermarks. These visual features serve as an immediate deterrent to counterfeiters and provide consumers with a quick, intuitive way to verify authenticity.

“Foils and holograms add optical complexity through light-diffracting patterns and shifting colors that are nearly impossible to duplicate accurately,” said Antonie Reinhart, marketing manager for KURZ. “These can be integrated seamlessly into packaging and label design without compromising aesthetics.”

KURZ, a leader in transfer technologies (hot, cold and digital foils) used for embellishment, decoration and function, has developed a range of security foils that ensure product authenticity through complex optical effects like color-shifting visuals, microtext and hidden images. While each individual feature can provide a degree of brand protection on its own, combining multiple security elements creates a more robust, layered defense against counterfeiting.

“Part of the challenge lies in the visibility of the technology; if it can be seen, it has the risk of being replicated,” said Tim Cain, president, Breit Technologies, a global supplier of Cast and Cure™ holographic, decorative films based in Overland Park, Kansas. “Custom effects are more difficult to replicate than a generic pattern or image. Covert technologies that can’t be readily identified provide another layer of protection.”

Breit Technologies’ Cast and Cure process uses a micro-embossed film that is temporarily laminated onto a wet UV coating, UV-cured and then removed – leaving the embossed pattern mirrored or molded directly into the coating. Custom patterns can be developed for an additional layer of defense, while microscopic text or unique elements can be embedded within the hologram for a third, hidden level of protection.

“All of these layers make brand protection more robust,” Cain explained. “If counterfeiters don’t know it’s there, they can’t replicate it, which makes identifying fake products far easier during inspection.”

Dan Lieberman, president of Nanografix, agreed that traditional foils and finishing techniques only offer a basic level of deterrence and lack real variability. “Once duplicated, they easily can be reproduced across thousands of counterfeit products,” he added.

Lieberman’s 40-year-old, San Diego-based company specializes in anti-counterfeit solutions like holograms, lenticulars, micro-optic security films, shrink sleeves, laminations, hot- and cold-stamping foils, and high-security labels. Its most recent development, NanoCast, generates a unique optical identifier for each package directly on the printing line. Each identifier contains encrypted photonic data, which can be authenticated instantly using a smartphone. Each optical feature is singular to one package and cannot be applied to another; this ensures no two packages are ever the same.

“NanoCast fuses the digital and the physical: every optical structure is itself a secure, unclonable digital object tied to one specific package, bridging the gap between physical packaging and smartphone-based digital verification,” said Lieberman.

The integration of digital authentication is expanding as counterfeiters continue to evolve and adopt more sophisticated tactics. KURZ also has developed its own proprietary SCRIBOS technology, which assigns unique, copy-proof QR codes and digital IDs to each product, either directly on the label or packaging, or in combination with one of its security foil solutions for added protection. This combination of secure markings and data-driven authentication is designed to protect packaging from replication, tampering and diversion throughout the supply chain. “Unique serialization allows for item-level traceability and monitoring throughout distribution networks, helping brands combat grey-market activity and manage recalls efficiently,” said Reinhart.

Additionally, secure QR codes connect physical products to a protected digital platform, where consumers can verify authenticity and access tailored brand content with a simple smartphone scan. Many brands and customers also are using this unique information to initiate additional marketing campaigns and promotions by engaging directly with the consumers.

The High Cost of Neglect

Beyond the obvious financial impact of lost revenue and sales, companies that neglect anti-counterfeiting measures face higher operational costs to combat fakes, as well as potential consumer safety risks when counterfeit products enter the market. This is particularly worrisome in sectors like pharmaceuticals where consumers who receive or purchase fake products face treatment failure, drug resistance or, potentially, death. In low- and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization estimates that one in 10 medical products are substandard or counterfeit.

Companies that fail to implement effective anti-counterfeiting strategies also may be financially liable for adverse product effects or face regulatory penalties. These challenges have intensified with the rapid expansion of global e-commerce. Evolving global trade and sustainability policies are pushing brands to implement tamper-evident, compliant and eco-friendly solutions that meet regulatory standards while strengthening brand integrity. “Counterfeiting risks have become increasingly borderless,” explained Reinhart. “As counterfeit products get into the market, they erode consumer trust in the promises a brand makes and in the quality, safety and authenticity customers expect. Once that trust is lost, it can take years and significant investment to rebuild.”

This underscores the importance of not only developing a robust anti-counterfeiting strategy but also rigorously testing its effectiveness. “Effectiveness comes from uniqueness,” said Lieberman. “Success is measured by how difficult it is for counterfeiters to replicate variability at scale and by how easily end-users can authenticate products using just a smartphone.”

Embedded digital security features, such as secure QR codes and serialization, not only enable consumers to authenticate products quickly via their phones but provide brands enhanced traceability and data-driven protection. “Effectiveness can be evaluated through scan-data analysis and consumer-engagement metrics, providing clear insight into real-world performance,” Reinhart added.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

Although brands – especially in vulnerable industries – face serious threats without an anti-counterfeiting strategy, developing one from the ground up comes with its own set of challenges and expenses. Reinhart noted that one of the biggest challenges brands face is ensuring that anti-counterfeiting measures are practical to implement across the entire supply chain. In many cases, this means evaluating existing equipment and processes at printers, converters, packaging partners and directly at the manufacturing facilities to ensure compatibility.

“The only way security becomes both effective and sustainable is by taking a collaborative, end-to-end approach – involving suppliers from the start, defining clear objectives and selecting scalable solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows,” she added.

Cost also can be prohibitive, including expenses for outsourcing, additional required materials and logistics. However, advances in technology are helping brands overcome these barriers, with many solutions now designed to integrate seamlessly into existing packaging and production lines. “By embedding security in real time during packaging, companies reduce costs while gaining maximum protection,” said Lieberman.

Technologies like the Cast and Cure process also “achieves a strong balance between security, cost efficiency and sustainability,” said Cain. By molding the UV coating instead of depositing material onto the surface, the film can be reused multiple times and is supplied without a liner – reducing material consumption, waste and transportation costs. The result is a solution that strengthens brand protection while supporting both environmental and economic objectives.

While new technology inevitably introduces added costs, Reinhart emphasized, “The cost of implementing security features always should be viewed in relation to the far greater financial, reputational and legal risks caused by counterfeiting. Effective brand protection is not an expense; it’s an investment in long-term value and consumer trust.”

The Future of Brand Protection

Growing at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2024 to 2030 ², the anti-counterfeit packaging market will continue to grow, especially in sectors where brand reputation and consumer safety are the most valuable. Serialization and traceability requirements, especially in pharmaceuticals, tobacco and food, are accelerating the adoption of secure packaging technologies.

“The future belongs to variable, digital-physical optical identifiers, where every product is unique,” said Lieberman. “Counterfeiters may manage to copy one unit, but they will never be able to replicate a million unique structures. This variability, combined with smartphone-based authentication, defines the next era of brand protection.”

Reinhart added, “The future of brand protection lies in combining advanced materials with digital intelligence. Next-generation nanostructured foils, smart coatings and secure QR or NFC features will enable both visual authenticity and digital traceability, while new sustainable films add eco-efficient protection.”

Cain noted that the continued growth of brand protection depends on production methods that are both cost-effective and sustainable. “If the economic and environmental hurdles to adoption are too high, brand owners will avoid using them,” he said.  “The industry must continue to develop brand protection options that are both impactful and efficient.”

As technology advances, anti-counterfeiting strategies are evolving just as rapidly to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. Emerging innovations on the horizon include blockchain integration for full supply-chain traceability, AI-powered authentication that leverages machine learning for real-time counterfeit detection, and biometric-linked packaging that uses biometric data to ensure product security. As security films and foils continue to advance, they remain a cost- and production-efficient solution to protect both brands and consumers from the evils of counterfeiters. 

References

1. OECD/EUIPO, “Mapping Global Trade in Fakes 2025: Global Trends and Enforcement Challenges.” 2025.
2. Global Industry Analysts, Inc., “Anti-Counterfeit Packaging – Global Strategic Business Report.” Oct. 2025.