Chances are, you’ve already bought a counterfeit product — even if you never realized it. A new nationwide study says 89% of Indian consumers have purchased a fake product at least once in their lifetime, and the numbers only get more uncomfortable from there.
Product Report Behind the Number
The findings come from the ASPA–CRISIL State of Counterfeiting in India 2025 report, presented by the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) at its “Fake Free India” event in Hyderabad on August 24. The study surveyed 1,639 consumers across nine Indian cities, spanning six sectors: apparel, FMCG, automotive parts, consumer durables, healthcare products, and agro-products.
| Key Finding | Figure |
|---|---|
| Consumers who’ve bought a counterfeit at least once | 89% |
| Encountered a counterfeit in the past 12 months | 35% |
| Believe counterfeiting increased in their region | 74% |
| Estimated share of counterfeit products in local markets | 29% |
| Would never knowingly buy a counterfeit | 50% |
| Want more consumer awareness campaigns | 93% |
Which Cities and Sectors Are Most Affected
Among the nine cities studied, Hyderabad recorded the highest share of consumers (46%) who encountered a counterfeit product in the past year, followed by Chennai (39%) and Bengaluru (33%) — pointing to a notable South Indian trend the report flags as worth watching.
Counterfeiting isn’t confined to any single category either. Perceived prevalence was highest in apparel (34%), followed by consumer electronics (31%), healthcare products (28%), FMCG (25%), agrochemicals (23%), and automotive parts (22%). That spread underscores how counterfeiting has become embedded across nearly every kind of everyday purchase — a pattern consistent with how counterfeit consumer goods are understood globally, where the OECD estimates such goods now account for roughly 2.5% of world trade.
The Real Gap: Awareness Without Action
Here’s the part that should concern brands and consumers alike: 62% of consumers say they always check product authenticity before purchase. But when it comes to how they actually verify a product, the numbers drop sharply — only 34% check holograms, 23% check QR codes, and just 13% check digital identities. Instead, 59–66% of consumers still rely solely on packaging quality and branding to judge whether something is genuine, a method counterfeiters have gotten increasingly skilled at replicating.
ASPA President Ankit Gupta called this the “real gap” that needs closing, framing the response as a “Trishul approach” that requires brands, regulators, and consumers working together toward stronger authentication and greater confidence.
Why This Matters Beyond the Individual Shopper
Prof. Bejon Kumar Misra, an international consumer policy expert and honorary ASPA member, put it starkly: when a consumer unknowingly buys a counterfeit, three parties lose simultaneously — the consumer, the legitimate trader, and the nation. His view is that counterfeiting isn’t just an intellectual-property issue; it’s fundamentally a consumer protection problem, and the last line of defense is the shopper themselves.
Nakul Pasricha, ASPA’s Vice-President, pointed to secure packaging, serialization, QR-based verification, and track-and-trace technologies as the tools that can bridge the gap — provided they’re made accessible and intuitive enough for everyday consumers to actually use.
For readers who want practical steps on spotting fakes before buying, TechnoSports has covered how to identify authorized sellers and avoid counterfeit electronics when shopping online.
The report, first launched in Mumbai in March 2026, is now expanding its “Fake Free India” awareness campaign to Hyderabad as part of ASPA’s continuing push across India.
