SECURITY LABELS
Anti-counterfeiting Solutions and Security Labels that Protect Brands, Products, and Consumers
Optical, digital and hybrid security labels for layered brand protection
Counterfeiting, gray market trading and unauthorized production threaten revenue, brand value and consumer trust. Effective brand protection requires a layered approach combining optical, digital and hybrid technologies.
KURZ SCRIBOS combines one of the most comprehensive security label portfolios in the market with extensive experience across industries and global brand protection programs.
The portfolio includes classic security labels with purely physical authentication, as well as advanced solutions that combine holographic security features with smartphone-based digital verification. This enables a layered approach to brand protection across physical, digital and connected touchpoints.
In combination with the SCRIBOS 360 platform and Online Brand Protection services, KURZ SCRIBOS delivers a fully integrated, end-to-end brand protection ecosystem.
Security Labels Designed for Real World Brand Protection Challenges
Security labels are applied when standard packaging or printing no longer provides sufficient protection. They address risks across production, logistics, distribution and sales — from unauthorized production to counterfeit products at the point of sale.
KURZ SCRIBOS security labels are individually configured based on:
- Product and threat scenario
- Target group that needs to authenticate (consumers, retailers, inspectors, investigators)
- Required level of visibility, usability and security level
- Production volume and price sensitivity of the application
Depending on the application, security labels can combine overt, covert and digital features to deter counterfeiting, enable authentication and support enforcement.
What Challenges Do KURZ SCRIBOS Security Labels Solve
KURZ SCRIBOS anti-counterfeiting solutions help brands to:
- Make counterfeit products detectable in the market
- Enable reliable authenticity checks for different user groups
- Identify unauthorized production and gray market activity
- Strengthen trust at the point of sale and beyond
- Support investigations, enforcement actions, and legal proceedings
KURZ SCRIBOS security labels enable brands to address different risk levels, from verifying product authenticity to detecting counterfeiting, gray market activity and unauthorized production, all within one integrated portfolio and without the need to manage multiple solution providers. All security labels can be connected to SCRIBOS 360, where authentication events are captured and analyzed to provide clear market visibility, supported by a highly secure and enterprise-grade IT infrastructure.
What Makes KURZ SCRIBOS Security Labels Different
The KURZ SCRIBOS Product Trinity
The KURZ SCRIBOS Product Trinity combines optical, digital and hybrid security label solutions. It allows brands to select and combine the right technologies for each product, market and risk scenario within one consistent system.
HOLOGRAPHIC SECURITY LABELS
Immediate Recognition and Visual Authentication
Holographic security labels enable authenticity checks at a glance through design and holographic effects. They make counterfeit products immediately visible at the point of sale and support intuitive authentication without tools.
These solutions combine anti-counterfeiting protection with strong visual impact and brand-enhancing design.
Typical examples include our TRUSTSEAL® technology.
DIGITAL SECURITY LABELS
Smartphone-based Authentication and Digital Interaction
Digital security labels focus on smartphone-based authentication. Products are verified digitally without requiring a dedicated app. Authentication can also be performed via platforms such as WeChat for the Chinese market.
Digital authentication solutions are designed to be compatible with GS1 standards and can support Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirements by enabling access to product-level information through secure identifiers.
These solutions are particularly suited for high volumes, frequent authentication and applications where digital interaction with the product is central.
Typical examples include ValiGate® Label, ValiGate® and UniQR®.
HYBRID SECURITY LABELS
Visual Authentication Combined with Digital Interaction
Hybrid security labels combine visual authentication with digital verification. They are immediately recognizable on the product and can also be verified digitally using a smartphone.
This solution type is used where brands want both strong optical recognition and a digital layer for authentication or customer interaction.
Typical examples include VeoMark® and TRUSTSEAL® ID.
Application Scenarios and Solution Examples
Below, we outline typical application scenarios and security label solutions commonly used in these situations. Each case, however, is assessed individually. Security labels are configured based on specific risks, market conditions, and brand requirements.
Maximum Security for High Value and Sensitive Products
Typical applications
High value goods, products exposed to professional counterfeiting, and situations requiring strong evidence for investigations and legal enforcement.
Example solutions
In these environments, brands often rely on robust physical security labels configured with advanced security features. Solutions such as VeoMark® provide strong physical protection and reliable authentication in demanding threat scenarios.
Through integration with the SCRIBOS 360 platform, authentication events can be verified, recorded and analyzed across markets, enabling brands to generate actionable intelligence and support enforcement activities globally.
Visual Authentication as a Key Design and Trust Element
Typical applications
Premium products, licensed goods, promotional packaging and applications where immediate optical recognition at the point of sale is essential.
Example solutions
Security labels incorporating distinctive holographic security features such as TRUSTSEAL® provide instant visual authentication and strong resistance against imitation, while integrating security directly into brand design.
For applications that require both visual recognition and digital verification, TRUSTSEAL® ID combines visual protection with smartphone-based authentication.
Digital Product Authentication and Market Transparency at Scale
Typical applications
High volume consumer products, FMCG, large production runs and applications requiring fast and simple authentication for a broad audience.
Example solutions
Anti-counterfeiting QR codes such as ValiGate® enable smartphone-based authentication without app installation and are designed for frequent use across large volumes. Each scan verifies authenticity and contributes data that helps brands detect counterfeit activity, gray market flows, and unauthorized production.
For applications requiring scalable authentication directly on packaging, printed security solutions such as ValiGate® Direct Print can be used without additional labels.
When connected to SCRIBOS 360, these authentication events provide insight into where products are being checked and where risks emerge across markets. This creates a data-driven foundation for brand protection, turning individual scans into actionable market intelligence.
Sustainable Security Labels with Verified Authentication
Typical applications
Products with sustainability targets, environmentally conscious brands, and applications requiring secure authentication while supporting reduced material use and recyclability.
Example solutions
For these applications, KURZ SCRIBOS offers ValiGate® Green. This solution enables smartphone-based product authentication without app installation, while supporting material efficient and recyclable packaging concepts.
Why Digital Connection Matters
Authentication without data remains a snapshot. A physical security label confirms authenticity at a specific moment, but it does not provide visibility into product behavior across markets.
When security labels are digitally connected, each scan generates data on where and how products are verified. This helps brands identify suspicious behavior, detect risks earlier, and uncover sources of counterfeiting, gray market activity, as well as overproduction worldwide - supported by a secure and reliable data infrastructure built on enterprise-grade systems, ISO 27001 certification, and regular TISAX assessments.
AI-based online brand protection further extends this approach by continuously monitoring digital marketplaces and identifying counterfeit offers and unauthorized sellers at scale.
In combination with investigative and enforcement services such as test purchases and takedowns, this ensures that counterfeit products are not only identified but also removed from the market.
Choosing
the Right Security
Label Solution
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. The right security label is tailored to your needs and depends on the product, the threat environment, and the target group that needs to verify authenticity.
Our brand protection experts support brands from risk assessment and solution design, through implementation and global rollout across the full KURZ SCRIBOS security label portfolio.
Contact us to discuss the right security label and anti-counterfeiting solution for your brand.
FAQ – Security Labels
Security labels are anti-counterfeiting solutions applied to products or packaging to verify authenticity, prevent counterfeiting and protect brands. They use different security features and mechanisms to enable reliable product authentication across various use cases.
KURZ SCRIBOS solutions combine optical and digital approaches and connect them with digital authentication and data analysis, enabling a consistent brand protection approach across products and markets.
Security labels help detect counterfeit products, protect revenue and support consumer trust. They are an important component of broader brand protection strategies.
Security labels use features that are difficult to replicate to enable product authentication. These can include visible elements, digital identifiers or hidden security features. Products can be checked visually or verified digitally, depending on the solution.
KURZ SCRIBOS solutions combine visual authentication with digital verification and connect both with data, enabling layered authentication and visibility across markets.
Security labels can be defined using different approaches, depending on how authentication is performed. A common distinction is between optical solutions (visual authentication) and digital solutions (data-based verification).
KURZ SCRIBOS offers both approaches and combines them in solutions such as TRUSTSEAL® ID, linking visual authentication directly with digital verification.
Some security labels support smartphone-based authentication. Secure codes can be scanned to verify whether a product is genuine, depending on the solution and use case.
KURZ SCRIBOS solutions enable authentication via smartphone without a dedicated app, including through WeChat, and connects each scan directly to SCRIBOS 360. SCRIBOS 360 captures and analyzes these scans to identify suspicious activity, gray market flows and unauthorized production.
Security labels can be adapted to different products based on specific requirements such as risk level, user group and production conditions. This includes selecting appropriate security features and defining how authentication is performed.
KURZ SCRIBOS solutions are modular and can be configured and combined across different products and markets.
Security labels that include digital verification can enable product-level authentication and generate data when products are verified. This data can be used to identify unusual patterns and detect irregular distribution flows.
KURZ SCRIBOS connects these solutions to SCRIBOS 360, for example with the ScanFIRST App, enabling centralized analysis across markets, supported by a highly secure and enterprise-grade IT infrastructure.
Security label solutions can be deployed across different markets, depending on technical and regional requirements. Authentication methods may vary based on local environments and user behavior.
KURZ SCRIBOS solutions support global deployment and consistent authentication across markets, including use via WeChat.
Digital authentication relies on a secure data infrastructure to ensure that authentication events are reliable and protected. This includes controlled access, data integrity, and compliance with recognized security standards.
KURZ SCRIBOS solutions are built on enterprise-grade infrastructure, are ISO 27001 certified, and regularly undergo TISAX assessments, ensuring secure and compliant data management. While blockchain may be considered for specific use cases, KURZ SCRIBOS prioritizes scalable, efficient, and proven architectures that meet the performance requirements of large-scale brand protection applications. As a result, blockchain is rarely the most suitable option in this context.
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