Local trade in the Dominican Republic has been flooded with cheap replicas of counterfeit products from China, an illegal practice.
The extensive list of Chinese counterfeits includes: vehicle parts, perfumes, cosmetics, clothing, toys and even pharmaceuticals, the latter being among the most common dangerous counterfeits.
“They are also counterfeiting brands of facial cosmetic products, powders and eyeliners, all the products of the big brands that exist in the world,” said Ivan García, president of the Dominican Federation of Traders.
It is noteworthy that Chinese counterfeits are displayed in most shop windows of the country’s commercial arteries and some of these products copy the brand as it is, while others vary or change the position of the letters but with the same logo, packaging and labels.
An example of this situation is the acquisition in a Duarte store of a Boss brand perfume which is a replica of the Hugo Boss brand (The Scent), which in its 3.3 ounce version has an average market price of 7,496 pesos , while the Chinese copy costs 270 pesos, presenting itself as an excellent offer for the customer.
Furthermore, Victoria Secret brand perfumes are priced on the market at more than 1,000 pesos, while fake ones cost RD$150.
According to the president of the Dominican Federation of Merchants, Ivan García, the presence of so many Chinese shops throughout the country is driving traditional shops into bankruptcy.
