08/25/2021

An Association's Research-based Campaign to Connect With Consumers

Resolving concerns over counterfeit products

How dangerous are counterfeit products? In the case of counterfeit water filters, the answer is “very dangerous” if they fail to meet established standards. To combat this threat to consumer safety, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) developed a data-based campaign, “Filter It Out,” to raise public awareness and garner government support to combat substandard products. In doing so, AHAM connected with a new audience and generated attention for the quality of their members’ products.

The Problem With Counterfeits

Counterfeit products are a widespread intellectual property concern for manufacturers, potentially costing them billions each year. In fiscal year 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement–Homeland Security Investigation seized 27,599 shipments containing counterfeit goods that violated intellectual property rights, equal to more than $1.5 billion in retail sales for genuine goods. But many products bypass detection, and, as most purchases are made online, consumers may not realize they are getting a counterfeit product.

The greater danger for the public is that counterfeits elude standards enforcement. AHAM staff suspected that counterfeit filters were not as effective as their members’ products, which must be certified as meeting American standards for drinking-water systems, but they needed evidence. AHAM engaged independent laboratories to conduct three tests of more than 100 counterfeit water filters. All of the counterfeit filters failed to meet U.S. safety standards, including standards for lead filtering. In fact, the testing produced indications that counterfeit filters could taint clean water after exposure to contaminated water.

Please select this link to read the complete article from ASAE's Center for Association Leadership.