Zero tolerance -- the UL anti-counterfeiting program

Working for a safer world. It's the core of the UL's Public Safety Mission. And with more than 117 years experience in testing products and developing safety standards, today UL and its UL Mark are trusted symbols of safety in many households.

In recent years, however, the UL Mark has become a target of counterfeiters, with counterfeit UL Marks showing up on products such as extension cords and decorative light strings - typically products inexpensively mass-produced and sold in discount stores.

Though a very small percentage of goods in the marketplace bear counterfeit UL Marks, according to UL consumer safety director John Drengenberg, just one counterfeit UL Mark is too many.

For more than a decade UL has taken an aggressive stance against counterfeiting through a comprehensive program that involves law enforcement agencies around the world. In fact, UL was the first Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to partner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The UL zero-tolerance policy against counterfeiters and counterfeit goods does not tolerate the import, export or manipulation of seized merchandise bearing a counterfeit UL Mark. UL designed the policy to:

• Protect the safety of consumers around the world from the hazards of counterfeit electrical products.
• Preserve the integrity of the UL family of Marks.
• Provide additional value to the legitimate, responsible manufacturers that invest the time and resources to meet UL safety standards.

Goods with counterfeit UL Marks can be hazardous, so UL takes appropriate steps to prevent products bearing counterfeit UL Marks from appearing on store shelves:

• UL dedicates millions of dollars annually to protect the UL Mark and enforce its zero-tolerance policy, including an aggressive program to provide assistance and training to law enforcement personnel worldwide.
• The program is managed by a team of dedicated UL professionals with the sole responsibility of overseeing protection of the UL Mark. Formed in 1995, the team's activities include:
  • Evolving UL Marks to make them harder to counterfeit.
  • Training U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents around the country to identify counterfeit UL Marks before they can enter the marketplace.
  • Educating manufacturers and retailers to help them identify counterfeit products.
  • Providing real time support for customs and law enforcement officials.
  • Producing detailed enforcement manuals and reference materials.

UL partners with law enforcement agencies and industry associations around the globe to combat counterfeiters, including CBP, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), INTERPOL, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC). For more information, visit our anti-counterfeiting operations section.