Chinese Consumer’s Day: The destruction of fake goods

March 15th, 2021 marks the annual World Consumer’s Rights Day aimed to raise awareness in consumer's rights and fight consumer's social and economic inequity. 

In China the World Consumer’s Rights Day (first celebrated in 1986, two years after the establishment of the Consumers Associations), is considered such an important event to be broadcasted on tv, where foreign and local brand products are identified and harshly criticize for poor quality and for their fakeness. Indeed, various famous brand have been criticized through the years causing a decrease of the brand reputation and their share prices inside the market can suffer deeply. 

The Consumers International Organization announced that the theme of the 2021 World consumer’s Rights Day, named “Tackling Plastic Pollution” has the goal to raise awareness on the plastic crisis around the world and promote sustainable practices. 

In China though, the focus of the “3.15” event isto fight intellectual property infringement cases and protect consumer’s rights. This event flowed into the 1994 “Law on Protecting Consumers' Rights and Interests”, which improved the protection, brought various businesses to orient their mind set to a more consumer-oriented operation, and also made consumers more comfortable to seek consultation and complaint in case of right’s violation.

On this particular day, fake products not only are mainly recognized as the major threat for the market and consumers, but also will be destroyed by the competent authority, while CCTV air a live show of their destruction. 

A perfect example was made, on March 12th 2021, by the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau, that after having fight and win various intellectual property infringement cases involving from 20,000 to 80,000 goods between counterfeit baijiu bottles and daily necessities fake items, celebrated with a destruction ceremony. 

Another example was shown still on March 12th, when Shanghai Jinshan district Joint District Market Supervision and Administration of Jinshan Fire and Rescue Branch carried out the "3.15" centralized destruction of fake and inferior fire-fighting products, aiming to demonstrate "true and false fire products " for the public to show the quality of qualified fire extinguishers and the importance of fire-fighting products for improving the level of public safety and security.

Indeed, more than 200 pieces of fake and inferior fire products were centrally destroyed being cut by firefighters that participate at the event site. 

Despite the enormous efforts made by local authorities and rules, today's laws are not yet powerful enough to prevent and stop the trade of fake products. In fact, it must be taken into account that squatters can always reopen their business and continue to trade and produce illicit profits. At least, these public destruction celebrations give voice to consumer complaints and increase the public awareness on a continue intensification of the authority efforts to combat, and always maintain a high-pressure situation against fake products producers. 

Eventually, it is well known that the production and sale of counterfeit and inferior goods disrupt the market order, endangering the lives and safety of the masses with illegal acts, but in accordance with the law from strict and fast disposal, fake and inferior goods should be seized and resolutely banned from the market for the safety of consumer’s rights.