Temu says 1,500 brands have joined its IP initiative

Chinese online retailer Temu has come in for a lot of criticism over copycat and counterfeit products on its platform, so it is trumpeting the news that 1,500 brand owners have now signed up to a scheme launched last year to provide stronger protection for intellectual property (IP) rights.

Temu's Brand Guardian Initiative was launched in April 2024, a few months before the European Commission started an investigation into the company on suspicion that it is doing too little to stop the sale of illegal products.

It has also come under fire in the US, with lawsuits filed by multiple states claiming the sale of counterfeit products and IP theft on Temu, as well as the illegal collection of user data without their knowledge and consent, and selling items made by forced labour in violation of US trade policies.

In a statement, Temu said Brand Guardian "builds on [its] wider efforts to fight counterfeits and misuse of brands," adding that it "offers hands-on support, brand protection tools, and clear reporting, whether or not the brand sells on Temu."

Among the features highlighted by the e-commerce company are an embedded monitoring system to detect and take down listings that violate IP, one-on-one support through tutorials, takedown help, handling of complex IP cases, and insight reports to keep brands informed and improve results.

It claims to conduct proactive monitoring for over 5,000 brands and says it resolves more than 99 per cent of takedown requests within three business days, with an average turnaround of less than 24 hours.

"The Brand Guardian Initiative helps us create a safer, more trustworthy shopping experience,” said a Temu spokesperson, who indicated that the company wants to expand the scheme with additional brands, more resources, and stronger enforcement.

"We work with brands to protect their IP both on and off our platform and appreciate the collaboration that raises standards for online brand protection."