Snapdeal, Heera Panna in USTR’S ‘notorious’ list
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI/WASHINGTON: Snapdeal, one of India’s largest e-commerce platforms, along with four Indian shopping complexes, two of which are in Delhi, featured in a report by the Office of the US Trade Representative listing “notorious markets for counterfeiting and piracy”.
The four Indian markets mentioned in the Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy, 2020, are New Delhi’s Palika Bazaar and Tank Road in west Delhi, Mumbai’s Heera Panna market and Kidderpore in Kolkata. The marketplaces denied the allegations.
In addition to addressing the role of e-commerce in facilitating the sale of pirated and counterfeit goods, the 2020 Review of Notorious Markets identifies 39 online markets and 34 physical markets that are reported to be engaged in or have facilitated substantial trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.
“Holding intellectual property rights violators accountable and ensuring that American innovators and creators have a full and fair opportunity to use and profit from their work is critical for both physical and online markets,” US trade representative Robert Lighthizer said.
Although the majority of counterfeit goods seized by American law enforcement agencies originate in China and Hong Kong – 92% by value – the problem is global, with additional major points of origin, including India, the report said.
The USTR said Snapdeal remains a concern for right holders who report that the volume of counterfeit products on this platform has increased over the past year. “According to a November 2018 survey, 37% of purchasers reported that they had received a counterfeit product from Snapdeal. In July 2019, Snapdeal’s founders were accused of criminal conduct in India for selling counterfeit products there,” it said.
The USTR said Heera Panna, a major indoor market located at the heart of Mumbai, reportedly offers high quality counterfeit watches, footwear, apparel, accessories, and cosmetics. Right holders warn that counterfeit cosmetics sold at this market have health and safety risks.
Kidderpore in Kolkata reportedly sells counterfeit consumer electronics, apparel, cosmetics, and pirated software often at wholesale quantities, it said.
Palika Bazaar, the underground market in Delhi is reportedly well-known for the trade of counterfeit products. Many shoppers are reportedly students and other young people who want trendy products at cheap prices, the USTR said.
According to the report, Tank Road continues to sell counterfeit products, including apparel and footwear.
“The comments made with regard to Snapdeal are factually incorrect and repeat the falsehoods contained in the 2019 report, which Snapdeal had strongly rebutted,” a spokesperson from Snapdeal said, adding, “There have been no criminal accusations against the founders for selling counterfeit products. Such negligent statements and unverified reporting by USTR is defamatory and unacceptable.”
BS Kohli, chairman, Palika Market Traders Association, said that accusations are “baseless”. “Over a decade ago, the market had this image which has now changed completely. Now we sell products of local brands along with the defected and surplus items of other brands but those are not duplicated materials.”
“We do not sell any type of counterfeit products. We have our own local brands and we believe in promoting them. Many global garment brands have production units in Bangladesh and sometimes unsold goods are transported to Kolkata where the brand tags are removed and then those are sold as second hand products across the country,” said Satwant Singh, president Tank Road Market Association.
The office bearers of the Heera Panna Cooperative Society were not available for comment, but shopkeepers who did not wish to be identified agreed that majority of the goods sold were counterfeit.
PALIKA BAZAAR AND TANK ROAD IN NEW DELHI, HEERA PANNA IN MUMBAI AND KIDDERPORE IN KOLKATA MADE THE LIST ALONG WITH E-COMMERCE FIRM SNAPDEAL