With the new academic year underway and the annual “back‑to‑school” readiness in full swing, parents and students are prioritising essential learning tools. A recent 1Life Insurance Back to School survey highlights just how strained households are during this period: 95% of parents reported feeling stressed about back-to-school preparations and 80% said the financial pressure forced them to make compromises. Notably, 28% of these cost related sacrifices related specifically to stationery, creating strong incentives for families to seek cheaper alternatives, including calculators.

To cope with these pressures, consumers understandably seek the most cost-effective options when purchasing school essentials. However. these well‑intentioned savings can unintentionally compromise education given the concerning rise of counterfeit calculators in recent years.

READ MORE: South Africa’s Escalating Counterfeit Crisis

What Makes a Calculator Counterfeit?

Counterfeit goods, as defined in the Counterfeit Goods Act 37 of 1997, refer to those goods that have had a registered trade mark applied to them without the authorisation of the trade mark proprietor. These are illegal products that have been created by criminals with the intention of profiting from a brand’s reputation and exploiting unsuspecting consumers. Counterfeit calculators are often sold at significantly lower prices than the original products to make them appealing to budget-conscious shoppers.

While they may look similar to the genuine products, counterfeit calculators often lack the quality, functionality, and reliability that students require, and can easily disrupt a student’s learning or exam performance, especially as schools rely more on technology for maths and science. Counterfeit calculators have been known to display incorrect results, have a significantly shorter battery life span due to inferior parts, and have limited functionality. Some counterfeit calculators even use a piece of black tinted glass where a real solar panel should be. In other words, they can’t charge at all. So, if the wrong answer doesn’t trip a learner up, a dead battery during an exam certainly could – showing just how serious the problem is.

How Consumers Can Protect Themselves

Fortunately, there are practical steps that can be taken by consumers to avoid counterfeit products.

  • It is advisable to purchases from trusted sources. Official brand websites usually list authorised distributors and recognised retailers. Purchasing from these channels drastically reduces risk.
  • Price discrepancies should also be a red flag – if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If the price seems unusually low compared with reputable stores, it is often a warning sign that the product may be counterfeit.
  • Choose a reputable brand. Many counterfeit calculators copy the exact model numbers of an established brand. It is important to buy a trusted brands and check that the proper trade mark appears on the device
  • Compare the logo and packaging with the genuine versions on the brand’s website. Once opened, check that the manual is in the correct language and test the calculator to make sure all essential functions work.

We urge consumers to remain cautious and avoid purchasing school essentials based on price alone. By following these checks, the risk of purchasing counterfeit products drops, and the educational integrity of students can be safeguarded.