Counterfeit products have become a widespread concern across India, with 89% of consumers saying they have purchased a counterfeit product at least once in their lifetime, according to the ASPA–CRISIL State of Counterfeiting in India 2025 report.
The findings were presented by the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) at its “Fake Free India” event in Hyderabad. The report, based on a nationwide survey of 1,639 consumers across nine Indian cities, highlights the growing need for stronger consumer awareness and easier product-authentication mechanisms.
The study covered six major sectors — apparel, FMCG, automotive parts, consumer durables, healthcare products and agro-products — demonstrating that counterfeiting is not limited to a particular product category or industry.
Counterfeit Products Remain a Widespread Consumer Concern
According to the report, 35% of consumers encountered a counterfeit product during the past 12 months, while consumers estimated that nearly 29% of products available in local markets could be counterfeit.
The concern is also growing geographically. Around 74% of consumers believe counterfeiting has increased in their region over the past year.
At the same time, the report identifies an encouraging shift in consumer attitudes. Half of the surveyed consumers said they would never knowingly purchase a counterfeit product, marking a significant improvement over the report’s 2022 baseline. Furthermore, 93% of respondents said greater consumer awareness campaigns are required to help people identify and avoid counterfeit products.
Hyderabad Records Highest Recent Exposure
The regional findings highlight the scale of the challenge across India’s major cities.
Among the nine cities covered by the survey, Hyderabad recorded the highest share of consumers who encountered a counterfeit product in the past 12 months, at 46%.
Chennai followed at 39%, while Bengaluru recorded 33%, pointing to a significant counterfeiting challenge across the southern Indian market.
The findings reinforce the need for awareness initiatives that reach consumers beyond major metropolitan markets and provide simple ways to verify products before purchase.
Apparel Leads Perceived Counterfeit Prevalence
Counterfeiting was reported across all six sectors included in the study. Apparel recorded the highest perceived prevalence at 34%, followed by consumer electronics at 31%.
Healthcare products accounted for 28%, while FMCG stood at 25%. Agrochemicals recorded 23%, and automotive parts followed at 22%.
The sector-wise findings underline that counterfeit products can affect everyday purchases ranging from clothing and consumer goods to healthcare products and automotive components.
Consumers Still Rely Heavily on Packaging and Branding
While 62% of consumers said they now always check product authenticity before making a purchase, the report reveals a gap between awareness and effective verification.
Only 34% of consumers check holograms, while 23% check QR codes and just 13% use digital identities to verify products.
Meanwhile, between 59% and 66% of consumers continue to rely primarily on packaging quality and branding when determining whether a product is genuine.
ASPA believes this gap highlights the need for wider consumer education around modern authentication and traceability technologies, including secure packaging, serialization, QR-based verification and track-and-trace solutions.
Authentication and Traceability Could Strengthen Consumer Confidence
Speaking about the findings, Ankit Gupta, President, ASPA, said, “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% 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 — our Trishul approach — to move towards stronger authentication, greater confidence and a safer tomorrow for every consumer.”
Nakul Pasricha, Vice-President, ASPA, highlighted the growing role of technology in closing the verification gap.
“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,” he said.
Counterfeiting Is Also a Consumer Protection Issue
Prof. Bejon Kumar Misra, International Consumer Policy Expert & Honorary Member, ASPA, emphasised that counterfeiting should be viewed beyond intellectual-property protection.
“Counterfeiting is not merely an intellectual-property problem or a problem for brands — it is, first and foremost, a consumer protection problem. When a consumer unknowingly buys a counterfeit product, three victims are created simultaneously: the consumer, the legitimate trader and the nation. The last mile of authentication is the consumer, and the ultimate measure of success is consumer confidence. Consumers must be empowered with simple, accessible and affordable means to identify, verify and report suspicious products, not merely be told to buy genuine. This fight against counterfeiting must become a national consumer movement,” he said.
ASPA Expands Its “Fake Free India” Awareness Campaign
The ASPA–CRISIL State of Counterfeiting in India 2025 report was first launched in Mumbai in March 2026. The association is now taking its “Fake Free India” consumer awareness campaign to Hyderabad as part of its wider pan-India effort.
Through its four pillars of Awareness, Advocacy, Research and Innovation, ASPA aims to generate greater awareness of counterfeiting and provide stakeholders with data-driven insights to strengthen India’s response to illicit and counterfeit products.
The latest findings indicate that while consumer awareness is improving, greater access to simple authentication tools and stronger collaboration between brands, regulators and consumers will be essential to build trust and reduce the impact of counterfeit products across India’s consumer economy.
