TREVISO, Italy (BRAIN) — Sidi has distributed a new policy to its distributors and retailers prohibiting them from removing barcodes from products and said it is electronically tracking all products in an effort to stem gray-market sales.
“When Sidi checks how Sidi products are distributed by online retailers, we often see that the barcodes on the box label are removed. As you know, the barcode label is a key element for the traceability of the product and the consequent consumer guarantee. Removing the barcode label constitutes an unlawful practice under European and USA law,” Sidi said in a letter to distributors and retailers.
“Therefore, we insist all Sidi distributors and retailers deliver Sidi products intact, and we inform you that effective immediately all Sidi products are traceable electronically. For this reason the removal of the barcode will not be sufficient to conceal its origin and will not slow or deter Sidi from finding any shoe’s source, making legal enforcement of Sidi’s rights much quicker and easier.”
Southern California-based Ciclista America, which took over as Sidi’s U.S. distributor late last year, stated: “This product change will help Sidi in its ongoing efforts to track down gray-market violating distributors and/or retailers. Sidi and Ciclista America have a zero-tolerance policy in regards to MAP or gray-market violations and will ceaselessly track down offending violators, end these violations and punish violators no matter how long it may take to resolve an outstanding issue.”
