Mercedes-Benz are continuing to ramp up their efforts in the fight against counterfeit vehicle parts.
It has been reported that authorities conducted over 740 raids in 2023 (an increase of nearly 20% on the number of raids in 2022, and an average of more than 2 raids per day) that resulted in the seizure of over 1.6 million counterfeit Mercedes-Benz vehicle parts. Products included paper air filters, brake parts, wheels, and steering parts which can all pose a significant risk to customers if they are faulty or low quality.
To tackle the issue online, the team at Mercedes-Benz took down over 142,000 listings for counterfeit products as well as other content that infringed their trade mark rights.
Buying a counterfeit product may not seem problematic and the low price might be attractive but when it comes to vehicle parts, the stakes could not be higher. Low quality counterfeit seatbelts and airbags might not protect you in an accident, counterfeit tyres can suddenly burst, and counterfeit brake pads can significantly increase your stopping distance. Mercedes-Benz are doing important work to try to stop the market being flooded with cheap fake parts and the UKIPO has some helpful guidance on how to sport counterfeit vehicle parts here.
"The counterfeiting industry generates enormous margins and has the structures of organized crime. It endangers road safety, takes no account of the environment and stands neither for fair wages nor for occupational safety. There are no quality controls. By taking action against these highly criminal structures consistently and with all legal means, we protect not only the reputation of our brand, but also our customers, other road users and ultimately all victims of the counterfeiting industry. In close cooperation with the authorities, we were able to track down many counterfeit factories directly."
Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity, Governance & Sustainability
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