China Discovers 22 More Fake Apple Stores

Maura · Aug 12, 2011

Reuters reports today that following on from the discovery of an uncannily accurate fake Apple store in Kunming, China, Chinese authorities in Kunming have found another 22 fake Apple stores. According to Reuters, Chinas Administration for Industry and Commerce in Kunming have ordered the stores to cease and desist using Apples iconic logo in their stores following a complaint from Apple that the stores represent unfair competition as well as violating Apples registered trademark. The Chinese authorities have also promised to set up a complaint hotline and continue to monitor the situation in Kunming. Reuters says that following on from the international furore caused by the initial story that was posted by an American blogger living in China who discovered the fake store, Chinese authorities inspected 300 shops in Kunming, which presumably unearthed the 22 fake stores that have now been ordered to stop using Apples logo. Apparently Chinese law also makes it illegal for companies to copy the look and feel of other companies stores, which the fake Apple stores were definitely guilty of, and then some!

Source: Chinese authorities find 22 more fake Apple stores | Reuters

Thanks to darkstar2007for the heads-up on this story.

iCrank · Aug 12, 2011

There is a big battle going on about counterfeit merchandise. I'm happy that there cracking down on these fake chains. I saw a exclusive story about this on msnbc. The story was about the legal battles of New Balance and counterfeiting merchandise.