The site on Anti- Counterfeit states “…However, markets are plagued by fakes, be it Stamps, Watches, Cigarettes, Cosmetics, Pharmaceuticals, FMCG goods, Auto Components, Software, Music, Films etc. resulting in significant loss to companies, corresponding evasion of Tax duties and violation of the rights of the consumer. Studies by industry associations bear this out, the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) estimates that the FMCG sector loses approx. 15% of its revenue to counterfeit goods with several top brands losing up to 30% of their business due to IP crime…” ; the report also states “…The damage to companies is “immeasurable” because seizures represent a tiny portion of counterfeit goods and lost sales are only one part of the equation. Any attempt to quantify it seriously will underestimate the extent of the problem, but they will suffer in terms of the reputation of their brands. The boom is being driven by the Internet, which makes it easier to find customers, and the development of cheap, high-quality printing equipment that allows criminals to mass-produce packaging. Growing trade with Asia, where trademark rules are less rigorously enforced, is also contributing to the trend…”
The fake goods are in abandon at Indian Metro cities as well as rural and urban areas. The rapid consumption of counterfeits in developing countries might be a challenge for the established brands, but to me, the counterfeits are the symbols of “democracy of consumption” and a result of hyped aspiration created by the very brands those are said to be .
The over promoted (media created) hype
(ie. The launch of new iPhone…) that’s strategically spread in the developing
countries are actually the “killer” to slowly murder the “American dream”
which an average youth is made to see and yet not being able to avail!
The result is obviously frustrating. The fake/ counterfeit is actually the good "safety tab" for the society to somehow bridge the gap and lets one be happy with a copy. The individual who is buying / availing the fake also knows that it’s not an original product and neither can he afford an original.
The result is obviously frustrating. The fake/ counterfeit is actually the good "safety tab" for the society to somehow bridge the gap and lets one be happy with a copy. The individual who is buying / availing the fake also knows that it’s not an original product and neither can he afford an original.
So, unless the socio-economic gap is
reduced and merged (which is anyway impossible within next one decade or more)
the counterfeits will exist and flourish
in India (or any developing country) to blister the brands whoever is being hyped
by the other side of society!
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