1 week ago
Indian Consumers’ Counterfeit Product Purchases Highlight Growing Authenticity Concerns
A new report says many people in India have bought fake products without always knowing it.
It found that 89% of surveyed consumers had bought a counterfeit product at least once.
About 35% said they had encountered one during the last year.
People reported fake products in areas such as clothing, electronics, healthcare and farming supplies.
Hyderabad had the highest reported rate among the cities surveyed.
Many consumers try to check whether products are real, but they often rely mainly on packaging and brand appearance.
Fewer people use QR codes, holograms or digital identity checks.
The group behind the report says companies, authorities and shoppers should work together to make products easier to verify.
An ASPA–CRISIL report found that 89% of surveyed Indian consumers had bought a counterfeit product at least once.
The survey covered 1,639 consumers across nine cities and six product categories.
Consumers estimated that 29% of products in local markets could be counterfeit, while 74% said counterfeiting had increased in their region.
Hyderabad reported the highest share of consumers encountering counterfeit products in the previous year, at 46%.
ASPA urged brands, regulators and consumers to expand education and use authentication and traceability tools.
- Who
- The Authentication Solution Providers’ Association and CRISIL surveyed 1,639 Indian consumers; ASPA President Ankit Gupta and Vice-President Nakul Pasricha presented recommendations.
- What
- A report assessed consumer encounters with counterfeit products, perceptions of their prevalence and the use of authenticity checks.
- Where
- The survey covered nine Indian cities and was presented at an event in Hyderabad.
- When
- The report was presented in 2025; respondents were also asked about encounters during the previous 12 months.
- Why
- ASPA released the findings to highlight counterfeit-product risks and call for stronger consumer awareness, authentication and supply-chain traceability.
Key facts
- Consumers surveyed
- 1,639 consumers across nine cities
- Ever purchased a counterfeit
- 89% of respondents
- Encountered one in past 12 months
- 35% of respondents
- Estimated counterfeit share
- 29% of products available in local markets
- Reported regional increase
- 74% said counterfeiting had increased over the past year
- Top city result
- Hyderabad: 46% reported encountering a counterfeit product in the previous 12 months
- Common verification methods
- 34% checked holograms, 23% used QR codes and 13% checked digital identities
Quotes
Nakul Pasricha
Vice-President of the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association
“Our survey of 1,639 consumers across nine cities shows that counterfeiting is deeply embedded in the everyday consumer experience across sectors, and that has to be a wake-up call for consumer awareness. 62 per cent of consumers say they check product authenticity before purchase, yet a large share are still relying only on packaging quality and branding to judge whether a product is genuine — that is the real gap we have to close. It will take brands, regulators and consumers acting together — ”
thehansindia.com
“The role of authentication and traceability is becoming increasingly important in bridging the gap between consumer awareness and actual verification. Secure packaging, serialization, digital authentication, QR-based verification and track-and-trace technologies can provide multiple layers of protection. The objective should be to make authentication accessible and intuitive for consumers while creating greater visibility across the supply chain.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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