46% of Hyderabad Consumers Encountered Fake Goods in Past Year, Finds ASPA Report

Hyderabad recorded the highest proportion of consumers who encountered counterfeit products over the past year among major Indian cities, according to findings from the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA)–CRISIL State of Counterfeiting in India 2025 report presented at the "Fake Free India" event in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Nearly 46 percent of surveyed consumers in Hyderabad reported coming across counterfeit goods in the past 12 months. This placed the city ahead of Chennai, which stood at 39 percent, and Bengaluru at 33 percent.

The nationwide study covered 1,639 consumers across nine cities and evaluated six key sectors: apparel, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), automotive parts, consumer durables, healthcare products, and agro-products. Across the country, as many as 89 percent of respondents acknowledged having purchased a counterfeit product at least once in their lives, while 35 percent had encountered one during the past year.

Respondents in the survey estimated that nearly 29 percent of products available in local retail markets could be counterfeit. Perceptions of prevalence varied across sectors, with apparel topping the list at 34 percent, followed closely by consumer electronics at 31 percent and healthcare items at 28 percent. FMCG goods accounted for 25 percent, agrochemicals 23 percent, and automotive components 22 percent.

The report also highlighted gaps in how consumers verify the genuineness of items prior to purchase. While 62 percent of respondents claimed they check whether a product is authentic before buying it, only 34 percent inspected security holograms, 23 percent scanned QR codes, and 13 percent utilized digital identity verification tools. The findings indicated that a substantial number of consumers continue to rely primarily on visual packaging and branding to determine product authenticity.