Almost 300 so-called 'brand police' are trawling the country, entering the shops and offices of those suspected of contravening restrictions relating to the mention of the Olympics by non-official partners.
The enforcers of these restrictions, wearing purple t-shirts and caps have the right to enter shops and offices and can issue fines of up to £20,000.
Restrictions include the use of words such as "gold", "silver", "bronze", "summer" or "London" and using the iconic rings, or colours of the Games.
Advertising close to Olympic sites (within 200 metres) is banned. Unless you already own a shop, or food outlet in the area in which case your window can remain as it always is. However, long-standing businesses cannot have Olympics promotions, or be seen to exploit the Games for their business.
Some of the silliest examples of the 'brand police' include a lingerie shop in central England being told to remove a window display that used five hula hoops and some sports bras as a tribute to the Olympic rings. Similarly a butcher's was told to remove a display in which he had created the symbolic rings out of sausages.
The extreme restrictions are to ensure that others are not profiting from the Games, protecting the sponsorship of the global partners including Adidas, McDonalds, Coco-Cola and BP.
With just ten days to go the corporate protection in action has prompted many to condemn the London Games as overly corporate and losing sight of the Olympic ethos:
