Government flags rising sophistication in fake products and large-scale counterfeit listings on ecommerce platforms
Counterfeit goods and practices such as tampering with manufacturing and expiry dates remain a serious concern, requiring continuous monitoring, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said, highlighted instances where expired products are reintroduced into the market after altering key labelling details, describing the issue as significant and widespread.
She noted that counterfeit products continue to circulate despite enforcement efforts, characterising the situation as an ongoing cycle in which offenders shift operations to evade detection, thereby necessitating constant vigilance by authorities.
Citing data to illustrate the scale, Khare referred to figures from an ecommerce platform which identified over 1.21 crore counterfeit listings between August 2022 and June 2025. Of these, 69 lakh listings were removed between April 2023 and September 2024, while another 12.31 lakh were taken down between September 2024 and May 2025, indicating the extent of the problem even on a single platform.
She also pointed to the growing sophistication of counterfeit goods, noting that distinguishing them from genuine products has become increasingly difficult, even for aware consumers. According to her, such products are often deliberately designed to closely mimic original items and bypass intellectual property safeguards.
Khare further observed that counterfeit goods tend to persist in the market partly because they are not immediately life-threatening, allowing them to avoid stricter scrutiny compared to other violations.
On enforcement, she said addressing counterfeiting and smuggling requires coordinated action across agencies, along with greater consumer awareness. She emphasised the need for consumers to verify product quality and authenticity before making purchases.
She also cautioned against being influenced by steep discounts or unusually attractive offers, which are often used to push counterfeit goods. She pointed to the National Consumer Helpline as a key grievance redressal mechanism, noting that it operates round the clock, supports multiple languages, and provides a toll-free service.
On regulatory measures, Khare said the government has issued guidelines to curb dark patterns in e-commerce following consultations with industry stakeholders. She added that companies were given time to comply and undertake self-audits, with several major platforms already responding.
She further said legal metrology reforms are underway as part of broader efforts to simplify compliance, including the decriminalisation of certain provisions under the Jan Vishwas framework and steps to make processes more efficient for stakeholders.
While refraining from detailed comments on smuggling, Khare indicated that the broader issue of counterfeit trade remains a significant concern that requires continued attention.
She also said the government is closely monitoring essential food commodities, tracking around 40 items daily through nearly 570 price monitoring centres. According to her, supplies remain adequate due to sufficient buffer stocks, and prices are stable.
