Ukraine reduces counterfeit cement

The share of counterfeit cement in Ukraine decreased to eight per cent in 2017 from 21.5 per cent in 2014, according to Ukrcement, the country’s cement association.

"According to data for 2017, the distribution of the packaged cement market between factory and non-factory cement has changed for the first time since 2011. The study showed that last year 72.8 per cent of the cement market accounted for the share of original cement from plants," said the association, referencing a study by GfK Ukraine.

It says that in 2014 the share of original factory cement in the market was only 52.7 per cent. Therefore the share of non-factory cement from packing or grinding facilities and cement of unknown origin fell to 19.2 per cent in 2017 from 25.8 per cent in 2014.

The association attributes the changes to the signing of a memorandum on cement quality between Ukrcement, the Union of Consumers and large networks of construction materials.