Scientists in Birmingham have invented a method of being able differentiate between real products and their counterfeits.

Ascertaining the difference between the two will be easy thanks to a special label, which manufacturers will be able to easily attach to a product, BBC News reports.

The label can be read by a smartphone and, according to the scientists from Birmingham, it will be impossible to fake.

Calling the project RealTag, the researchers hope that the simple label will go a long way to improving cutting out fake goods in the UK.

Currently, nearly all areas of Britain's commerce fall victim to counterfeit goods, the sales of which have increased due to social media sites. Sources have said that a Facebook seller in Gloucestershire was trading counterfeit sportswear and speakers from his house.

A report by Electrical Safety First outlines an unexpected cause of the rise of sales of counterfeit products in the UK.

The report, entitled: A Shocking Rip-Off: The True Cost of Counterfeit Products, details that over the past year around one million people have knowingly purchased fake products.

Not only is this bad news for manufacturers but it also means that consumers could be putting themselves at risk if they buy counterfeit electrical products.