The owner of a Bradford market has become one of the first private companies to sign up to a national charter promising to steer clear of counterfeit goods.

The Bradford Bazaar in Cemetery Road has signed up to the Real Deal charter after demonstrating its commitment to keeping the market a fake-free zone and barring anyone found to be trading in counterfeit and other illegal products.

Working with officers at West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, Select4 Ltd, which runs the market, has introduced stringent vetting procedures.

Graham Hebblethwaite, chief officer of West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, said “We are delighted to be working with the Bazaar on this initiative which demonstrates a joint commitment to ensuring consumers and local businesses are protected from unscrupulous traders selling counterfeit goods.”

Liz Bales, director general of the Industry Trust for IP Awareness, which started the Real Deal campaign, said: “Unfortunately, unscrupulous traders can be attracted to markets and car boot sales as an easy opportunity to trade illegally, particularly in counterfeit and pirated goods.

“It is a major problem across the UK and is often linked to organised criminal groups for whom selling counterfeit goods is a relatively risk-free way to make money and to launder cash from other criminal activity.”

Hassan Ali, director of Select4 Ltd and Bradford Bazaar, said: “We want credibility as a market and for customers to have confidence that when they come in here that they are getting genuine items, they are not getting anything that is stolen or fake.

“Everything the Real Deal has we have had within our license agreement. It seemed like the perfect match because it is everything we are endorsing already.

“We do not want crime in here, we want to lead the way in Bradford.”

Anyone who wishes to report information on the sale of counterfeit goods can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on (0800) 555111.