The Vileda brand, known for its high-quality cleaning products, is facing a surge in counterfeit goods, according to a recent report by the German media outlet Zeit Online. While online trade in cheap products from China is booming, counterfeiters are reportedly offering numerous fake Vileda products on e-commerce platforms such as Temu, often at very low prices. The long-established original manufacturer, part of Freudenberg Home and Cleaning Solutions and headquartered in Weinheim an der Bergstraße in Baden‑Württemberg, is fighting against the illegal competitors, so far with limited success.
According to the media report, Temu shows, for example, an offering for an alleged Vileda attachment for mops with the product name Turbo 2in1. On the Chinese e‑commerce portal, a pack of five would cost slightly over 11 euros. In the manufacturer’s shop, by contrast, a single original product costs over 12 euros. The counterfeits offered on Temu were not only using the design of the original product, but also the Vileda logo, product images, and brand name.
While Vileda has secured intellectual property rights for its brand, technology, and design, according to the report, the original manufacturer has so far had limited success in taking effective action against illegal trade on Temu. When individual counterfeiters were identified and their products removed, similar products often reappeared on Temu under new names. For Vileda, the effort involved was high and the success rate low. “Whether we have patented our products or not is of no interest to counterfeiters,” said Friedel Winterling, a developer at Vileda, according to Zeit Online.
Vileda is not the only German manufacturer of household goods whose brand is listed on Temu. Products carrying other well‑known brands were also available, such as Leifheit, Bosch, and WMF. Often, these were replacement or refill items that were supposed to be compatible with the brand manufacturer’s original product. Some buyers in Europe seemed to be aware that they were purchasing counterfeit goods. At least, that was what could be gleaned from some reviews of the fake Vileda mop attachment which were quoted by Zeit Online.
The impact on Vileda is noticeable. Although the company did not want to disclose any figures, head of development Dietmar van Loyen told Zeit Online that the damage was substantial. And in addition to the financial losses, the reputation of the well‑known brand was also suffering as a result of the cheap counterfeits.
