89% of Indian Consumers Have Purchased Counterfeit Products: ASPA–CRISIL
A new ASPA–CRISIL State of Counterfeiting in India 2025 report has highlighted the widespread presence of counterfeit products across Indian markets, with 89% of consumers surveyed saying they have purchased a counterfeit product at least once in their lifetime.
The findings were presented by the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) at its Fake Free India event in Hyderabad. The nationwide study surveyed 1,639 consumers across nine cities and examined six sectors: apparel, FMCG, automotive parts, consumer durables, healthcare products and agro-products.
According to the report, 35% of respondents encountered a counterfeit product during the past 12 months, while consumers estimated that nearly 29% of products in local markets could be counterfeit. Additionally, 74% believed counterfeiting had increased in their region over the previous year.
At the same time, the study indicates growing consumer awareness. Half of those surveyed said they would never knowingly purchase a counterfeit product, representing an improvement over the report’s 2022 baseline. A significant 93% of respondents also called for greater consumer awareness campaigns.
Counterfeiting Across Major Consumer Categories
Counterfeit products were reported across every sector covered by the research. Apparel recorded the highest perceived prevalence at 34%, followed by consumer electronics at 31% and healthcare products at 28%. FMCG accounted for 25%, agrochemicals 23% and automotive parts 22%.
The findings underline that counterfeiting is not restricted to a particular product category but extends across a broad range of everyday consumer purchases.
Regional findings also highlight the scale of the issue. Hyderabad recorded the highest proportion of consumers encountering counterfeit products in the past year at 46%, among the nine cities surveyed. Chennai followed at 39%, while Bengaluru recorded 33%, pointing to notable counterfeiting concerns across major South Indian markets.
Consumer Authentication Remains a Challenge
Although 62% of consumers said they now check product authenticity before purchasing, the methods they use vary considerably. Only 34% check holograms, 23% use QR codes and 13% check digital identities when verifying products.
Meanwhile, between 59% and 66% of consumers continue to rely primarily on packaging quality and brand presentation to determine whether a product is genuine. ASPA believes this highlights the need for greater consumer education around modern authentication and traceability technologies.
Solutions such as secure packaging, product serialization, QR-based verification and track-and-trace systems can provide consumers with more reliable ways to verify products while improving visibility throughout the supply chain.
Ankit Gupta, President, ASPA, emphasised that counterfeiting has become part of the everyday consumer experience across multiple sectors and called for stronger collaboration between brands, regulators and consumers to improve authentication and consumer confidence.
Nakul Pasricha, Vice-President, ASPA, highlighted authentication and traceability as important tools for bridging the gap between awareness and actual product verification, while advocating for solutions that are accessible and easy for consumers to use.
Prof. Bejon Kumar Misra, International Consumer Policy Expert & Honorary Member, ASPA, described counterfeiting as a consumer protection issue rather than solely an intellectual property or brand concern. He called for simple, accessible and affordable mechanisms that enable consumers to identify, verify and report suspicious products.
The ASPA–CRISIL State of Counterfeiting in India 2025 report forms part of ASPA’s ongoing work across Awareness, Advocacy, Research and Innovation. The association is also expanding its Fake Free India campaign across the country to increase public understanding of counterfeiting and promote stronger product authentication.
