IACC council seeks 'counterfeit-free online marketplace'

The International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) has launched an advisory council to try to foster collaboration between online marketplaces, payment service providers, and international brands to fight counterfeiting.

The Marketplace Advisory Council (MAC) – which includes Chinese retail giant Temu amongst its founding members – aims to establish new benchmarks for collaborative efforts to combat counterfeit products on digital platforms. 

"IACC has always believed that collaboration is the key to meaningful progress," commented Bob Barchiesi, president of the IACC, a non-profit organisation located in Washington DC in the US that was set up to fight against product counterfeiting and piracy.

"With the creation of MAC, we are forging a new path – bringing together a diverse group of pioneers to shape the future of brand protection through dialogue, trust, and shared commitment, and laying the foundation for lasting impact across the global marketplace."

Along with Temu, the MAC will include a big roster of top e-commerce players, including Alibaba Group, Amazon, DHGate, eBay, Meta, Mercado Libre, and Shopee, along with payment partners Mastercard, PayPal, and Visa.

Brand owners joining the effort, meanwhile, include Calvin Klein, Ford, Motion Picture Association, Adidas, Merck, Chanel, Colgate-Palmolive, Tenneco, Disney, ESA, Estée Lauder, Apple, John Deere, Burberry, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Nike, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and Zimmermann.

Last year, the European Commission launched an investigation into Temu, which has enjoyed spectacular growth since it launched in Europe in 2023 as a low-cost rival to Amazon and other e-commerce platforms, saying it was concerned the company did not have sufficiently robust processes in place to keep fakes off its platform.

The MAC will serve as a forum to "exchange perspectives, address shared challenges, and explore new strategies," according to the IACC.

It will offer participants the opportunity "to work together, share insights, and forge stronger partnerships that support the growth and integrity of the online marketplace."