Cracking down on counterfeit goods remains a stated priority for the Chinese authorities, with direct consequences for buyers sourcing from China — including those buying through the wholesale markets of Guangzhou.
Enforcement is very real
For the year 2025 alone, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) reports having handled roughly 37,000 intellectual property infringement cases, more than a thousand of which were referred to criminal prosecution. In other words: enforcement is not a theoretical threat, it is ongoing administrative activity.
What it means for your shipments
Customs checks and goods inspections remain active realities, both on departure and on arrival. A shipment containing counterfeit goods can be held, seized and destroyed — and liability does not stop with the seller: in Europe, it is the importer who answers for the goods they bring in.
So the risk is twofold: losing the goods themselves, and the delay imposed on an entire container if the authorities decide to inspect a consolidated load.
How we can help
At ZCL, we support our clients in securing their sourcing: help with supplier verification, customs compliance, and transparency at every stage of transport. If you have any doubt about a product or a supplier, talk to us before shipping — it is always easier to sort out before departure than once the goods are held up.
Source: 2025 figures from China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), published in February 2026 alongside its annual selection of typical enforcement cases.