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- The devil is in the details: half of the auto parts on the Russian market turned out to be counterfeit
The devil is in the details: half of the auto parts on the Russian market turned out to be counterfeit
In a number of positions, the share of illegal spare parts and automotive products in Russia has exceeded 50% and the indicator is only growing. This is facilitated by a decrease in the transparency of parts supply chains, circumvention of official certification procedures, and difficulties in determining the authenticity of spare parts. Izvestia found out which parts are most often forged, where the highest probability of running into counterfeit goods is, and how to deal with the problem of illegal auto parts.
Oils, filters, and candles
The share of illegal automotive products in Russia is close to 50% of the market, and in some areas this figure is even higher. This is evidenced by the research data of the public organization "Public Consumer Initiative" (OPI), which was reviewed by Izvestia. The annual budget losses due to the illegal turnover of automobile spare parts are estimated at 142 billion rubles.
The most counterfeit goods were found among oils and lubricants — up to 54% of those on the market in 2024-25, while in 2023 there were only 31% of fakes. This category is the absolute leader in the marginality of shadow production due to the ease of packaging counterfeiting, according to the OPI. All types of filters are also at risk (the share of counterfeit increased from 15 to 35%), spark plugs (an increase in the number of fakes from 23 to 33%), suspension and steering parts (17% of counterfeit in 2025 versus 14% in 2023).
According to a survey of car owners conducted by the OPI last fall, half of drivers were confronted with the purchase of fake parts. The greatest risk of running into a fake exists when buying via the Internet — 60% of respondents purchased an illegal spare part there (several possible answers). 48% of the respondents reported purchasing such products at regular auto parts stores. Technical centers and services of authorized dealers are a relatively safe channel for purchasing parts. However, they do not provide a complete guarantee that the spare part will not be counterfeit — about 7% of respondents reported purchasing counterfeit goods from such sources.
Why are there more fakes
The growth in the share of counterfeit goods in the spare parts market was facilitated by the disruption of previous logistics chains and the departure of some foreign copyright holders, according to the Public Consumer Initiative. Because of this, the market has lost a significant part of corporate control over the authenticity of products, which has created a vacuum that has been occupied by shadow import, packaging and marketing schemes, the organization's experts emphasize. The increase in the number of counterfeit parts on the market is also related to the specifics of their certification.
"Illegal suppliers circumvent the conformity assessment procedures under TR CU 018/2011, use forged or fictitiously executed documents and bring products to the market that have not passed real tests. Modern fakes are often impossible to distinguish visually, even for specialists, and most consumers do not have authentication tools," the study says.
In addition, OPI experts drew attention to the proliferation of local repackaging and branding schemes. Unnamed components and low-quality parts are imported as formally neutral goods, and then packaged and labeled within the country under well-known brands, which makes it difficult to prevent violations at an early stage, they emphasize. The OPI also notes a shift in sales of illegal spare parts to online channels.
"Marketplaces and online stores have become one of the main channels for the sale of counterfeits. Remote purchase reinforces information asymmetry: the consumer cannot check the quality of the part before paying, and the pricing algorithms of the sites push them to choose the cheapest offers," the study notes.
You're giving me a label!
Oleg Pavlov, Chairman of the Public Consumer Initiative and Chairman of the Public Council at Rospotrebnadzor, believes that one of the tools to solve the problem of counterfeit and counterfeit spare parts is the introduction of their mandatory labeling in the Honest Sign state system. In his opinion, this will significantly "whitewash" the automotive market.
— The experience of labeling in other product categories shows a significant decrease in the share of the corresponding illegal products on the market. In case of detection of counterfeit or other violations in circulation, the Honest Sign system makes it possible to block the sale of such a batch: it will simply be impossible to "break through" the fake in the system and sell it to the buyer, Oleg Pavlov told Izvestia.
The experiment on labeling all types of filters, spark plugs, windows, brake discs, brake pads, wheels and rims was launched in our company in February last year, and this winter it was extended until the end of summer. As previously reported by Izvestia, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has prepared a draft government decree that provides for the phased introduction of mandatory labeling of these parts. It is assumed that registration in the Honest Sign information system will begin on September 1 of this year, and the start of the mandatory labeling of parts is scheduled for December 1, 2026.
At the same time, starting today, according to government decree No. 1683 of 11/30/2024, all participants in the turnover of motor oils and auto fluids are required to record their supply, acceptance, sale to end users, as well as write-off of these goods in an Honest Sign.
Counterfeit to counterfeit discord
The very concept of "counterfeit" is quite broad, it implies both fake spare parts and quite high-quality parts, but imported into our country with various violations, said Igor Morzharetto, a member of the Presidium of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
— Oil or spark plugs produced at a factory, say, Shell or Bosch, but imported into our country without the permission of the copyright holder, are considered counterfeit. At the same time, oil or candles produced under these brands in some underground workshop on Malaya Arnautskaya are also counterfeit. Obviously, these are two different counterfeits," Igor Morzharetto explained.
The Honest Sign marking system does not solve the problem of counterfeiting, it only allows you to trace the history and path of a particular part, says Anton Shaparin, vice-president of the National Automobile Union. The question of whether a part is of high quality or not is solved through its certification and real-world testing.
"But we see examples of unscrupulous manufacturers and suppliers circumventing the existing certification procedure. Declarations of conformity are often issued without any checks - only on the basis of test reports issued by the manufacturer's own laboratory or an accredited laboratory. Thus, the part becomes completely legal, including for an "Honest Sign," he states.
The problem of counterfeit and illegal spare parts can be solved only by a radical reform of their certification system, with mandatory inspections, tests and tests of automotive parts in our country by appropriate laboratories, the NAS Vice president is convinced. At the same time, it is necessary to monitor the activities of such laboratories and testing centers as closely as possible by the supervisory authorities, he stressed.
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