Diageo launches AI anti-fraud seal to combat beverage counterfeiting in Brazil

Diageo has launched the ‘Selo Drink Seguro’ (Safe Drink Seal) in Brazil, an AI-driven anti-fraud tool designed to combat beverage counterfeiting. Developed in partnership with Securetrace, the technology uses a unique digital fingerprint with over 27 trillion possible combinations to verify product authenticity via smartphone cameras. The system, which holds ISO 12931 certification and boasts a 99.99% anti-copy efficacy rate, allows consumers to access the Diageo.ID platform without downloading an app to confirm if a bottle is legitimate.

The initiative follows a severe methanol poisoning crisis in Brazil that resulted in dozens of deaths and permanent injuries, such as blindness, throughout 2025 and 2026. The seal is currently applied to approximately 4 million bottles monthly, covering 95% of the company’s distilled spirits operations in the country, including major brands like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, and Baileys.

Diageo aims to have the technology implemented across all its product lines by 2027. The company stated that the measure is voluntary and intended to protect consumers and the formal market from the illegal trade of adulterated goods, which causes significant economic losses and public health risks.