NEWS ITEMS

Five years of buying with confidence

The Origin Assured [OA™] label celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. Since its launch to the fur trade in December 2006, this consumer assurance initiative has continued to grow. Through a carefully managed roll-out, the Approved Retailers and Manufacturers programme has been introduced to 20 of the 35 IFTF member countries, with plans to introduce it to the Ukraine, Poland and Portugal in the near future. Companies that sign-up to this programme continue to enjoy many free benefits, including publicity on this website and on the FurStyle app, and in in-store merchandising, which will include special fifth anniversary OA™ posters.

Mike Moser, Director of Communications and Origin Assured [OA™] at IFTF said recently that he is delighted with the progress of the programme in the past five years, particularly with consumer awareness:” Consumers are embracing the programme. In a survey carried out in 10 countries this year. 1 in 3 consumers said they are more likely to buy a fur garment if it carries the OA™ label, up from 1 in 5 in 2007. This year, we welcomed the decision by El Corte Ingles, Spain’s largest [and only] department store chain, to sell OA™ only labelled garments. We are also in talks with a number of other companies keen to use the label, including a world-leading fashion house.”