Articles and Books
05/2024
Das, Shanti (2023), The Guardian
TikTok is making a profit from selling illegal and potentially hazardous beauty products, including counterfeit cosmetics and prescription-only skin creams, despite its claims of enforcing a strict "zero tolerance" policy against rogue sellers.
Third-party vendors on TikTok's in-app marketplace are promoting counterfeit versions of Dior perfumes, Vaseline lip balms, and Maybelline mascaras.
Last week, skin-whitening lotions with banned ingredients and strong acne creams that should only be available by prescription were being openly advertised.
These products are being sold through TikTok Shop, an in-app feature allowing users to purchase items promoted by influencers and brands. Users can browse products in a “shop” tab, ranging from cosmetics and clothing to toilet paper and sports drinks.
Since its launch in 2021, TikTok Shop has made the platform a popular online retail destination. A recent survey by market research firm Savanta found that UK users under 26 made an average of 19 purchases per year through TikTok, surpassing Instagram and Facebook.
TikTok takes a 5% commission on sales and claims to have strict rules on what can be sold, including banning the advertisement and sale of counterfeit products, prescription-only medicines, and skin-whitening creams with banned ingredients. “By ensuring the safety and authenticity of products sold on our platform, we create a positive shopping experience that users can have confidence in,” their policy states.
However, nine out of the first 12 results for “perfume” in TikTok Shop appeared to be counterfeit, including variations of Dior’s Sauvage perfume with names like “Suave” and “Savage,” and a copy of Viktor and Rolf’s Flowerbomb perfume called “Mark and Victor.”
Searches for mascara and other makeup items also led to seemingly fake products. Some items were still available even when labeled as “dupes.”
Health and consumer experts warn that these products likely haven't undergone safety testing to UK standards and may contain unknown, potentially toxic ingredients.
Many illegal products sold on TikTok Shop are made in China and shipped to the UK, with little information about their origin or manufacturing processes. Tests of seized counterfeit cosmetics by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit have previously found toxic levels of arsenic, mercury, and lead.
Gavin Terry, lead officer for intellectual property at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said customers are vulnerable if something goes wrong. “If someone uses a counterfeit product and has an allergic reaction, they’ll go to the brand. The brand will say, ‘That’s not my product.’ There’s no quality control and no guarantee they’re safe.”
A 2021 report for the Intellectual Property Office found that influencers significantly impact consumer purchases of counterfeit products. Among 1,000 women aged 16 to 60 surveyed, 13% were prompted by social media endorsements to buy counterfeit products.
Dr. Jane Ravenscroft of the British Association of Dermatologists described the illegal sale of skin creams as a “major concern” and a “public health risk.” She noted that sellers prey on people's insecurities and naivety, with social media exacerbating the issue.
How did it help me?
The article highlighted how social media has become a major platform for the promotion of fakes. It revealed statistics used by counterfeit sellers such as the creation of appealing videos with appealing prices. This is the beginning of my understanding of the importance of addressing platform-specific selling strategies emphasizing consumer education and awareness.