New Belgian police polo shirt offered on AliExpress

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The Belgian police have not even rolled out their new uniform yet, but they’re already being sold online. At least, a counterfeit version is available on AliExpress. People in Belgium are not pleased about this, and a lawyer has been assigned to the case. However, the police themselves have also made a major oversight.

New Belgian police polo shirt offered on AliExpress
New Belgian police uniform, illustration by Karin Slegers
New Belgian police polo shirt offered on AliExpress
Image: Federal Police Belgium

When the new police uniform is presented in May 2024, a weight will be lifted from the government’s shoulders. Officers have been wearing the same uniform for 22 years, and the call for renewal has only grown louder. On the streets, officers face aggression more frequently, with the tragic death of an officer in 2022 as a low point. The Belgian police hope that the new uniform will project more authority.

However, there’s little cause for immediate celebration, as it’s revealed during the presentation that the actual rollout will take time. The earliest projection for officers wearing the new clothing is late 2026 to early 2027.

 

New Belgian police polo shirt offered on AliExpress

This week, it was announced that a replica of the police polo shirt is being sold via the Chinese webshop AliExpress. The site lists it as made from breathable, quick-drying fabric and available in sizes S through 6XL. Recent figures show that 31 shirts have already been sold.

This raises some concerns. There are enough media stories of criminals using such uniforms to impersonate officers during robberies.

New Belgian police polo shirt offered on AliExpress
Print screen of the fake polo on AliExpress

The Belgian Federal Police therefore fear that these replicas could be misused. There’s even concern that some officers may feel compelled to buy them out of frustration, given the long-standing dissatisfaction with the current uniforms, and the extended rollout timeline.

Joery Dehaes from the ACV union calls it a strange situation: “We’ve been discussing this uniform for years without much progress. Let’s hope that this ‘Chinese trick’ spurs our politicians and police leaders into action to quickly implement and legally protect the police uniform.”

A spokesperson for the Federal Police announced that a lawyer is working on it: “The application for legal protection of the new uniform is in progress, but the logo of the Integrated Police on these polo shirts is already protected, so that should make a difference. (…) However, the issue is that protection is not easily enforceable in certain countries, like China.”

 

Not so strange after all

I always find it interesting when governments are shocked that their uniforms are counterfeited. This is nothing new. Counterfeit uniforms are a known issue, for instance with Dutch ambulance uniforms sold through another website.

And these two countries are not the only ones. I receive daily news updates on uniforms for my work, and I frequently come across these kinds of stories. Anyone familiar with the world of workwear knows this happens. The more recognizable the profession, the greater the chance of their uniforms being counterfeited. Especially when the design is made public through both photos and technical drawings, it becomes easy to replicate. Although these replicas do not match the quality of the original, buyers are often more interested in the appearance.

It is therefore advisable to legally protect the design so that it’s safeguarded. This is important, even if it’s not enforceable in certain countries. Protection, of course, needs to be established before the design is made public. This is especially crucial for police uniforms, which are popular among criminals. Here, the Belgian police have made a serious oversight.

 

Counterfeit products on AliExpress

The counterfeit polo shirts have now been removed from AliExpress. This doesn’t surprise me. The Chinese e-commerce site was known for offering cheap products that often didn’t meet Western standards, but that’s starting to change. Over the past few years, AliExpress has tightened regulations for sellers on its platform.

Despite these efforts, AliExpress received a warning from the European Commission last year regarding the sale of counterfeit products. According to the report, Alibaba, the parent company of AliExpress, is known for its anti-counterfeiting processes, which are among the best in the e-commerce industry. Yet, the issue remains unsolved due to insufficient sales controls and ineffective enforcement against repeat offenders.

Although AliExpress needs to improve its processes, it is difficult to completely prevent products from being counterfeited. The internet has brought us many benefits, but this is one of the downsides. All you can do is legally protect your designs to have proof of ownership. Then, you can only hope that e-commerce platforms are willing to remove counterfeit products quickly. Unfortunately, not every platform is as willing to do this.

Best regards,
Aileen

Eén reactie

  1. “PrettyBusinessWorld is all about blending professionalism with style, and one key piece that captures this vibe is the polo shirt. With its timeless design, a polo-shirt can effortlessly transition from casual to business casual, making it a perfect choice for the modern professional who values both comfort and style in their everyday wardrobe.”

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