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Counterfeit alcohol in Poland?


tourist  
31 Jul 2010 /  #1
Can one typically trust on that somewhat decent looking alko shops sell only genuine strong alcohol, or is there a risk of being offered counterfeit products? Should all bottles have some kind of tax/authenticity marking and if so, could someone post a link into a sample?
SzwedwPolsce  11 | 1589  
31 Jul 2010 /  #2
It's very safe to buy it in normal shops. They would never dare to sell counterfeit alcohol. There is a tax-paper-strip on the top of all bottles.

I have lived 3 years in Poland, I have never seen any counterfeit alcohol in normal shops.
OP tourist  
31 Jul 2010 /  #3
Thanks. The reason why I ask is that I happened to buy a bottle that seems otherwise completely OK (even brand name and logos stamped on the glass, and the cap is properly sealed), but the tax stamp strip reads "pow. 0,2l" even though the bottle is 0,7l, which is dodgy...
jonni  16 | 2475  
31 Jul 2010 /  #4
but the tax stamp strip reads "pow. 0,2l" even though the bottle is 0,7l, which is dodgy...

That does sound a bit dodgy - it could be a mistake, or it could be counterfeit. If you buy from chain stores or a local off-licence it should be OK though.
Magdalena  3 | 1827  
31 Jul 2010 /  #5
Depends on what the "pow. 0,2l" stands for. If it stands for "powyżej" ("over") then I don't see a problem. Sorry, I have no idea what is normally written on the strip thingy, never checked... ;-)
lobsterg  - | 10  
31 Jul 2010 /  #6
pow. 0,2l

A tax rate for bottles containing more than 0.2 litres of an alcoholic drink?

pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banderola

pl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plik:Polish_excise_stamps.png&filetimestamp=20100406105703
SzwedwPolsce  11 | 1589  
31 Jul 2010 /  #7
but the tax stamp strip reads "pow. 0,2l" even though the bottle is 0,7l, which is dodgy...

If it's not wine, it's correct. Because it means more than 0,2l high-% alc. They only write more/less than 0,2 l.

For wine you have only more/less than 0,5 l.
Wroclaw Boy  
31 Jul 2010 /  #8
I was told when buying Vodka look for the authentic seal, its usually paper and attached to the lid and the bottle.

They sell petrol mixed with water so why not watered down alcohol, it has happened.
OP tourist  
1 Aug 2010 /  #9
Thanks for all, it seems that I just didn't catch this point at first:

it means more than 0,2l high-% alc. They only write more/less than 0,2 l.
For wine you have only more/less than 0,5 l.

- and the strip looks just like the one in the link provided by lobsterg, so everything seems to be in order. So I can enjoy my polish souvenir wodka without worries...

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