Counterfeit Bollinger in London

Bottles of counterfeit Bollinger Special Cuvée champagne have been appearing in the London area.

Champagne Bollinger's UK agent Mentzendorff & Co has confirmed that the first incident was shortly before Christmas and it has since been investigating with Trading Standards.

"To date the quantity of stock involved is very small and no existing trade customers of ours have been approached," said Mentzendorff's managing director Andrew Hawes, who reassured regular customers that they could not mistake the fakes for the real product.

The counterfeit bottles are cheap sparkling wine that have had their labels replaced with "poor" photocopies of the Bollinger label.

"Unfortunately, however, a few independent traders and bar owners in the London area have been duped and we therefore feel it is the right thing to alert the trade and to request that if anyone has been approached or has any information regarding this matter they contact us."

Contact your local Trading Standards office with any information.