'Shameful' online sellers accused of stealing money from RBL by profiting from fake Remembrance Day poppies

The RBL is permitted to take legal action against anyone infringing registered trademarks for variations of the petal poppy.

A Home Office spokesman said sellers trying to profit from selling counterfeit poppies were "shameful".

One seller told The i: "This item is themed around Remembrance Day but is not official merchandise, and there is no information about proceeds going to the RBL. I hope this helps clarify."

Another quickly updated their description on the listing to clarify: "Please note: This item is inspired by the traditional poppy symbol but is not affiliated with or sold on behalf of the RBL or any remembrance charity."

While there is an official RBL Store on Amazon, there were also thousands of other items capitalising on the upcoming remembrance events.

Many counterfeit items have no information about where the money from sales is going.

A spokesman for the RBL told The i: "The best way the public can support the RBL’s Poppy Appeal and help the Armed Forces is to donate through our official channels.

"We would urge everyone wishing to purchase Remembrance poppy merchandise to do so from one of our trusted volunteers, from the RBL’s online Poppy Shop, or from one of our corporate partners.

"We regularly monitor and report items which infringe on our trademarks and have an agreement with the major platforms to remove those items swiftly from their marketplace."

The charity added its official online shop and Amazon Store, where 100 per cent of profits go to the RBL.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Stealing money from the RBL by selling counterfeit poppies is utterly shameful.

"We do not tolerate the sale of counterfeit products and Border Force have a strong track record in targeting those who attempt to import fake goods."

An eBay spokesperson said: "Buyers who wish to support the RBL should do so through its official channels, to ensure that 100 per cent of the proceeds go to the charity.

"eBay works with the RBL as part of our Verified Rights Owner Programme (VeRO), which gives intellectual property owners like the RBL an easy way to report and remove listings that infringe on their rights.

"The sale of counterfeit items is strictly prohibited on eBay, and we use block filter algorithms to prevent their sale.

"If we find a counterfeit product, we swiftly remove it and take action against the seller."

An Amazon spokesperson said: "Amazon proudly supports and is actively engaged with the RBL and its charity work.

"Customers can find official products on the RBL store."

The spokesman added that Amazon removed the products which were flagged during the investigation.

The spokesman said: "We have proactive measures in place to prevent infringing products from being listed, and from the moment a seller lists a product for sale, our advanced technology continually scans for potential non-compliance —including future changes submitted for the product."

"Amazon strictly prohibits IP-infringing products in our store."

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