An investigation by Which? has found that around two thirds of cosmetics purchased from online marketplaces may be counterfeit.

The consumer champion warned that these fake products could be putting shoppers’ health at risk, while black market counterfeit products have been linked to organised crime.

Which? purchased 34 cosmetic products from third party sellers on platforms including Amazon, eBay and TikTok Shop.

The organisation conducted visual checks on the packaging and contents, comparing them with the genuine products purchased from trusted retailers.

In total, the consumer champion believes 23 of the 34 products, or 67 per cent, were likely to be counterfeit.

This included four out of 11 products ordered on Amazon, eight out of 11 products purchased on eBay, five out of six products ordered from TikTok Shop, and six out of six items bought on Vinted.

Which? highlighted research from The Anti-Counterfeiting Group which found that fake hair and beauty products have previously been found to contain animal faeces and urine used as a stabiliser, as well as cancer-causing and toxic ingredients such as arsenic, lead and mercury.

Additionally, the organisation said that the lack of regulation means that products may be incorrectly formulated leading to the risk of skin irritation, infections or even chemical burns.

In contrast, Which? said legitimate cosmetics products conform to laws that ensure they are safe to use such as safety assessments and traceability requirements.

Which? said that many of the counterfeit items were difficult to spot and only became apparent when directly compared with the genuine samples, which means that consumers could “easily” be caught out putting their health at risk.

Other products had more “obvious” issues such as misspellings on the packaging, inconsistencies in design or poor-quality contents.

High margins

Phil Lewis, director general of The Anti-Counterfeiting Group, told Which? that even on cheaper fake products the profit margins are “extremely high”, meaning consumers should be on their guard even if discounts seem more realistic.

Which? said that strong enforcement action is needed to shut down these sellers, but its previous research has shown that counterfeit goods and other crimes are not always being investigated in many parts of the UK because some Trading Standards services have deprioritised this area.

Which? added it is calling on the government to urgently prioritise reform of the consumer enforcement system and introduce laws that could clarify and strengthen responsibilities for online marketplaces.

“It’s alarming that Which? was able to find such high volumes of what appeared to be potentially dangerous counterfeit cosmetics on popular online marketplaces, where teenagers in particular are likely to be enticed by what seem to be big discounts on popular brands,” said Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy. “Trading Standards needs to take decisive action to prevent these products from making their way into people's homes, but because of limited resources and competing demands, counterfeit investigations are being deprioritised in many parts of the country.”

Responding to the investigation, Amazon, eBay, TikTok Shop and Vinted all said that counterfeit goods are strictly prohibited on their sites.

An Amazon spokesperson told Which? that the company has a “zero-tolerance policy” for counterfeits and proactive measures in place to prevent counterfeit products being listed and is investigating the products tested by Which?.

“If an issue is raised, we act quickly to protect customers, including removing listings and bad actors from our store, and sharing further guidance from brands for customers,” the spokesperson added. “Third-party sellers are independent businesses and are required to follow all applicable laws, regulations, and Amazon policies when listing items for sale in our store.

"These policies require that cosmetics must be sealed in the original manufacturer's packaging.”

An eBay spokesperson said that the business has proactively block millions of counterfeit items every year through multiple layers of technology, trained investigators, and buyer protection programmes to help ensure goods sold on the platform are authentic and safe.

“In the rare instance that a counterfeit item is listed, brands and other intellectual property rights owners can use our VeRO Program to report them,” the company added. “We then investigate these reports and take the appropriate action, which may include ending listings and suspending seller accounts.”

A TikTok spokesperson said that between July to December last year, it blocked over seven million violative listings to protect customer trust and safety.

Vinted said that it has policies in place to protect its members and encourage them to report any account which may be violating its guidelines so that it can take appropriate action.

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