Counterfeit market blues

High demand for imitation products drive up supply; EU has no reason to blame China for fake fever

A report in the South China Morning Post last month quoted a United Nations official as having said that Chinese producers, some with the influence of organized criminal gangs, control Europe's $8.2-billion counterfeit goods market. Citing a UN report, the newspaper said Chinese mainland sources account for about 55 percent, or $4.51 billion, of Europe's fake products market.

Such reports about Chinese products are not unusual. As an emerging market, China has been under tremendous pressure from the United States and the European Union (EU) to crack down on people making counterfeit and inferior quality products.