Fake Durex flood London

Fake durex condoms flood capital
Londoners were today warned to check their equipment before jumping into bed after it was revealed that thousands of fake durex condoms are being sold in the capital.

The counterfeit Durex packs are on sale in off licenses, cornershops and independent supermarkets around the capital.

And trading standards officers have warned that the fake durex condoms - believed to be have been imported from China - offer no protection against pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections including HIV. Hackney Council were alerted to the problem last month when one amorous member of the public noticed the durex condoms he had bought were "not quite right" and reported the incident.

Neighbouring Haringey council has also received a similar complaint which it is investigating while Islington Council is also monitoring the problem.

Hackney Trading Standards launched an investigation and discovered more than 1,500 fake durex packs on sale in the east London borough.

The durex condoms are in realistic packaging, but they are said to be "lacking in lubrication once opened". Brands which have been copied are Durex Extra Safe, Arouser, Ribbed, Performa, Gossamer, Select, and Fetherlite.

Hackney Council and Durex are warning people to check the contraceptives before using them.

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Corporate Director for Neighbourhoods and Regeneration at Hackney Council said: "These fake boxes of Durex appear to be pretty good copies, in that the packaging is quite similar to the real product. The member of the public who reported this should be congratulated for alerting us to this scam.

"Anyone who has bought these brands, especially from independent shops and supermarkets should carefully check the products. Obviously this discovery is very important, as counterfeit condoms do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases properly, and nor are they an effective contraceptive."

Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency, which monitors sexual health, released earlier this month revealed 90,000 Londoners are infected with STIs, more than anywhere else in the UK.

Source: The LondonPaper, 16/Oct/2007

- TERUG -