The word counterfeit means a fake or non-genuine article. It is an article which resembles the original or has likeness of the genuine one. Counterfeit product is made with a specific purpose to cheat, defraud or replace the genuine; bring down the value of the original and gain a market place in place of the exact product. It has become common practice not only in our country but also around the whole world. Counterfeit products look the same as genuine but carry some replica of the bona fide. Counterfeit products are forgeries of currency, documents, clothes, textile designs, and footwear, pharmaceutical, automobile and their spare parts, home appliances, electronic items, software, toys, movies, jewelry, mobile phones, computers, food items, medicines, surgical equipment, soft drinks, make-up range and baby food.
These fabricated products are made by fake companies using fake brand tags and logos and fall in lower quality ranking. Resultantly consumers of such ill items like medicines and parts of cars face more harm than good. Globally counterfeit goods have been accepted by a number of countries defending in a sense that the original and real branded articles are not in the pocket-range of lay men. So people compromise on quality and use cheaper goods. UK based CIB (Counterfeit Intelligence Bureau), formed in 1985, reports that counterfeit goods make up 5 to 7% of the total world trade. This ratio varies in year wise trade statistics. OECD (Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development) founded in 1961 indicates an increase in illegal products worldwide. These institutes keep an eye on fake production under fake companies, unearth data to make original companies aware and to take measures against illegality.
Among the causes of counterfeit goods are globalization, demand and supply gap and increased quality when counterfeit products are manufactured in the same firm making use of the same raw material as their genuine counterparts. Such goods have fake labels, fake serial numbers, fake monograms and fake barcodes. Among leading counterfeit producing countries are India, China and Turkey. E-Commerce has also its lion’s share in the cause of counterfeit items. Before online shopping, it’s never so easy to buy and sell goods anywhere in the world but sales and purchase through the internet has provided few clicks. Manufacturing companies pay little heed to all SOPs of manufacturing and upload brightened and well-painted goods on site which attracts customers. Counterfeiters imitate everything of genuine items even if they do it while packing items. Customers, even after purchasing counterfeit goods, don’t bother to report to concerned authorities to root out this. They simply use, complain to fellow consumers about the short life of the items and throw them away.
Coercive measures need to be taken in this regard. Counterfeit goods have left behind harmful impacts to health and safety. These items have ruined the economy and a person’s well-being. Undoubtedly, consumers consider the multi-facet complexities of fake products but consumers can put it to end themselves. Regulatory authorities need to launch apps to stop such illegal productions and it is the prime responsibility of users to co-operate with these authorities.
