Suspected of Selling Pirated Products: Shopee is Facing An Acid Test
Jayson 11 Oct 2023 07:17
According to relevant media sources, Rio de Janeiro's consumer protection agency (Procon-RJ) recently conducted an investigation into Shopee's alleged sales of pirated products.
Now, Shopee has ten days to respond to the investigation results. If they cannot give a well-founded explanation in response, the Procon-RJ may develop sanctions bills to fine Shopee.
According to reports, Procon-RJ's investigation was based on complaints from civil society and the National Anti-Piracy Forum. The complaint sent to Procon-RJ revealed that there are a variety of pirated products on the Shopee platform, such as imported perfumes, headphones, batteries, mobile phone chargers, glasses, luxury bags, toys, etc.
The Procon-RJ inspection department also revealed that well-known brands are being sold on Shopee at prices much lower than what the manufacturers themselves sell in the market. The agency said the description of "the same product as the original" appeared to be information that "reinforced the signs of counterfeiting."
Procon-RJ said the Singaporean company must proceed with caution. If the agency finds the arguments unsatisfactory, it may enact a sanctions bill providing for fines exceeding R$13 million.
In Brazil, producing and selling pirated products is a crime. The penalty for this behavior is provided for in Article 184 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment from three months to four years or a fine.
Now, Shopee has ten days to respond to the investigation results. If they cannot give a well-founded explanation in response, the Procon-RJ may develop sanctions bills to fine Shopee.
According to reports, Procon-RJ's investigation was based on complaints from civil society and the National Anti-Piracy Forum. The complaint sent to Procon-RJ revealed that there are a variety of pirated products on the Shopee platform, such as imported perfumes, headphones, batteries, mobile phone chargers, glasses, luxury bags, toys, etc.
The Procon-RJ inspection department also revealed that well-known brands are being sold on Shopee at prices much lower than what the manufacturers themselves sell in the market. The agency said the description of "the same product as the original" appeared to be information that "reinforced the signs of counterfeiting."
Procon-RJ said the Singaporean company must proceed with caution. If the agency finds the arguments unsatisfactory, it may enact a sanctions bill providing for fines exceeding R$13 million.
In Brazil, producing and selling pirated products is a crime. The penalty for this behavior is provided for in Article 184 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment from three months to four years or a fine.
