Authorities intensify crackdown on counterfeit goods

Ahead of the 44th World Consumer Rights Day on Sunday, China's top court and top procuratorate released new model cases on consumer rights protection and the punishment of crimes involving counterfeit and substandard goods, underscoring the country's continued tough stance on such offenses.

Data from the Supreme People's Procuratorate showed that in 2025, procuratorial organs nationwide approved the arrest of 5,745 suspects in cases involving the production and sale of fake or substandard goods, and prosecuted 18,376 people.

Prosecutors also intensified efforts to protect food and drug safety. In 2025, they brought charges in 5,026 food-related criminal cases involving 9,595 people and 2,135 drug-related cases involving 4,043 people.

In one case released by the SPP, a man surnamed Liu from Jiangsu province set up two companies between June 2021 and July 2023 to produce and sell snacks containing illegal additives. He purchased additives with laxative effects for use in food processing, while the other two managed daily operations and handled storage and distribution.

The products were sold through e-commerce platforms to more than 20 provincial-level regions across China, generating more than 26 million yuan ($3.77 million) in sales. In March 2025, the three were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 11 years and six months to five years and six months, along with fines, for producing and selling toxic and harmful food.

The SPP said prosecutors will continue to trace the full upstream and downstream industrial chain behind counterfeit and substandard goods and move to dismantle criminal networks. It added that procuratorial authorities will strengthen coordination with relevant agencies, improve links between administrative enforcement and criminal justice, and better protect consumers' lawful rights and interests.

The Supreme People's Court also released a batch of typical consumer rights protection cases. In one case, a consumer paid more than 2,000 yuan for a weight-loss product sold online and later discovered that the company named in its promotional material had lost its business license more than a decade earlier. The case was reported to the police, and a suspect surnamed Zhang was later placed under criminal investigation in a separate case for allegedly producing and selling toxic and harmful food.

Tests found that the product contained large amounts of prohibited ingredients. The court held that Zhang had sold food that failed to meet safety standards and supported the consumer's claim for punitive damages equal to 10 times the purchase price. Zhang was ordered to pay more than 20,000 yuan.

The SPC said creating a safe, fair and trustworthy legal environment for consumption remains one of its key responsibilities. It said the people's court will continue to respond to evolving consumer expectations and rights protection needs, with a focus on online consumption, emerging sectors, and food and drug safety, while issuing timely judicial rules to promote standardized development.

Separately, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Public Security have launched a nationwide joint enforcement campaign against fraud in the traditional crafts market, targeting fake certificates, fake institutions, fake products and fake websites in sectors such as jewelry and jade, precious metal ornaments and rosewood products.

The campaign comes amid widespread misconduct, including forged or altered inspection reports, the sale of such reports, false marketing using fake certificates, and the passing off of inferior goods as premium products. It aims to strengthen regulation at both the systemic and source levels and crack down on industry abuses.