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NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Apr 22, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- In response to the counterfeiting of Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister goods in the United Kingdom, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) today announced that it has launched an aggressive anti-counterfeiting campaign designed to root out and eliminate all counterfeit goods from the UK market. That effort will include such legal action (civil and criminal) as authorized by British Law. The anti- counterfeiting campaign will target both manufacturers and sellers of counterfeit Abercrombie and Hollister merchandise.
The Company is working closely with UK customs agents to intercept and inspect shipments headed to businesses identified as selling counterfeit merchandise. As part of its campaign Abercrombie & Fitch is partnering with applicable Trading Standard Offices to raid and seize counterfeit merchandise. The Company has also initiated a trade based anti-counterfeiting advertising campaign that includes contact information for reporting suspected counterfeit merchandise.
Mike Jeffries, Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, said, "We are declaring war on the counterfeiting of our goods. We owe it to our customers to be vigilant in protecting the integrity of our brands. The counterfeit goods being sold under the Abercrombie and Hollister names are of an extremely poor quality and undermine our 110-year old legacy of consistently producing high-quality goods. Counterfeiting is a serious offense, one that we will not tolerate"
Abercrombie & Fitch operated a total of 705 stores at the end of March, including 170 abercrombie stores and 177 Hollister Co. stores. The Company operates e-commerce websites at www.abercrombie.com , www.abercrombiekids.com , and www.hollisterco.com .
SOURCE Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
Thomas D. Lennox, Director, Investor Relations and Corporate
Communications of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., +1-614-283-6751
http://www.abercrombie.com