Fraud management

The ENplus^® Management follows up on every misuse of the trademark. You can help us combat fraud by checking the list of ENplus^® Producers and Traders on our website to authenticate an ENplus^® seal. Our Blacklist will also help you identify known fraudsters. If you suspect a fraud case, you can refer to our online guide on how to detect fraud, and use our online form to flag it to us. How to detect fraud?

→ What is a fraud case for ENplus^®?

The ENplus^® seal has become an essential selling argument for wood pellet professionals. To guarantee its value, the ENplus^® seal and trademark are registered and protected under international law, and their use is mostly limited to certified companies with precise guidelines. The ENplus^® management allocates considerable resources in combating trademark fraud. In all cases, consumers are misled about the quality of their pellets, which may have a severe impact on the maintenance and efficiency of their appliance. On top of it, fraud seriously undermines the efforts of all certified companies for a fair and transparent pellet market. That is why the ENplus^® management is so strongly committed to combating fraud everywhere, and encourages anyone who suspects a fraudulent use of the ENplus^® trademark to report it via our online form.

→ What are the most common types of fraud?

The ENplus^® Management follows up all infringements and misuses of its certificate, with more than 1500 cases identified since 2014. Here is the split between the main types of fraud:

37%

Irregular use of the ENplus^® trademark in marketing operations, such as these:

23%

Product misuses, the fraudulent use of the ENplus^® seal on pellet bags, and the second most common type of fraud tackled by ENplus^®:

23%

Certificate falsifications:

17%

Other cases, not falling under the categories above.

Last update: May 2023

→ How does ENplus^® manage fraud, and what are the risks for fraudsters?

The ENplus^® Management has adopted a two-step approach. The first one is to contact the infringing company to try and solve the problem in an amicable manner. In a vast majority of cases no further action is required, as attested by our resolution rate of 63%.

However, some cases remain unsolved after this first step. For these, we enter a second phase, more coercive, whereby fraudulent companies see their name and actions exposed in our public registrar, the Blacklist, pending a final resolution of the case.

Ultimately, ENplus^® reserves the right to initiate legal proceedings against fraudsters, in which case they may face charges and penalties.