How To
How to Identify Genuine vs. Counterfeit Chunghwa Double Medium Cigarettes
The following comparison focuses on the printing and packaging details of Chunghwa Double Medium cigarettes. The differences shown below relate specifically to the front and back trademark paper, the side sealing and pull tab, and the steel markings on the bottom of the pack.
1. Comparison of Front Trademark Paper Printing
The genuine cigarette pack uses laser gravure printing on the trademark paper. The Tiananmen design uses embossed hot-stamping technology, giving the image a strong three-dimensional appearance.
The main Tiananmen gate design is accurately registered with the gold stamping and has a noticeable raised-and-recessed effect. Fine horizontal lines can be seen on the Tiananmen city wall. The “中华” characters are clear and accurately aligned with the gold stamping.
Counterfeit packaging uses high-definition scanned reproduction printing. On the Tiananmen design, the semi-elliptical gold line around the arch can be noticeably offset from the black shadow area. The hot stamping may also show registration deviations. The fine horizontal lines on the Tiananmen wall may be absent or unclear, while the “中华” characters may appear less sharp and may not align correctly with the gold stamping.
Image caption:
Comparison of front trademark paper printing techniques: genuine Chunghwa Double Medium on the right, counterfeit on the left.
2. Comparison of Back Trademark Paper Printing
The back of the pack provides another clear comparison of the printing process.
The genuine cigarette pack has a full, bright background with a noticeable gloss. The pinyin lettering on the decorative Huabiao column is clearly printed and relatively fine. A micro-pattern anti-counterfeiting technique is used, and a black five-pointed star appears below the Huabiao with a clearly defined outline.
On counterfeit packaging, the background colour may appear lighter and have less gloss. The pinyin lettering on the Huabiao may look heavier, with thicker characters. The shape below the Huabiao may resemble a five-pointed star but appear more like a dotted mark, with a less distinct outline.
Image caption:
Comparison of back trademark paper printing: counterfeit on the left, genuine on the right.
Image caption:
Comparison of back trademark paper printing: counterfeit on top, genuine on bottom.
3. Side Sealing and Pull Tab
The side sealing and pull-tab area provides another packaging difference.
Genuine cigarettes use machine hot-sealing to form the seal in a single process. The sealed edge is even and smooth. The pull-tab has a regular semicircular shape, with smooth edges.
Counterfeit cigarettes may use a manually operated electric soldering iron for the sealing process. The sealed area may therefore be uneven and wrinkled. The pull-tab may have a semi-elliptical shape, with rougher edges.
Image caption:
Comparison of side sealing and pull tabs: genuine on top, counterfeit on bottom.
4. Comparison of Bottom Steel Markings
The steel markings on the bottom of the pack also show differences in production technique.
On genuine cigarettes, the steel marking is produced by dynamic machine roller embossing. As a result, the depth and height of the markings may vary, and the characters may not appear completely uniform.
Counterfeit cigarettes generally use static manual printing for the markings. The markings are usually shallower, while the characters may appear more regular and uniform.
Image caption:
Comparison of bottom steel markings: genuine on top, counterfeit on bottom.
Summary
The comparison above focuses on four areas of the Chunghwa Double Medium pack:
- Front trademark paper printing
- Back trademark paper printing
- Side sealing and pull tab
- Bottom steel markings
The specific differences described above are based on the printing and packaging characteristics shown in the comparison images.
