Fakes sold in 40% online deals in China
BEIJING - Only 58.7 percent of items sold online last year were genuine or of good quality, according to a report delivered to Chinese lawmakers on Monday.
In 2014, commerce authorities across the country received 77,800 complaints concerning online orders, a staggering increase of 356.6 percent, according to a report on the implementation of the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers.
The report, heard at a plenary meeting of the NPC Standing Committee presided over by top legislator Zhang Dejiang, urged increased oversight of online trade.
While turnover of the country's online retail increased by 40 percent annually to 2.8 trillion yuan (US$442 billion) last year, the manufacture and sale of shoddy or counterfeit goods has become a key concern in the sector, the report cited the Ministry of Commerce as saying.
The report urged accelerated legislation in e-commerce, improved supervision and clarification of consumers' rights and sellers' responsibilities.
China has been cracking down on the sale of pirated and counterfeit goods, long a major headache for global brands targeting the Chinese market from iPhone maker Apple Inc to luxury retailer LVMH.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has been lobbying to stay off a US blacklist for fakes after coming under renewed pressure this year over suspected counterfeits sold on its shopping platforms.