Auto Parts Company Fined 127000 Yuan for Selling Counterfeit BMW and Ford Bearings

To create a safe and secure consumer environment, the Henan Provincial Market Supervision Department launched the "Protecting Consumption" special campaign in 2025, focusing on prominent issues in the consumer sector and severely punishing a number of typical cases that infringe upon consumer rights. Recently, some typical cases were released to the public, including a case investigated by the Jinshui District Market Supervision Bureau of Zhengzhou City involving an auto parts company selling counterfeit brand bearings, which has attracted widespread attention in the industry.

According to the report, on August 6, 2025, the Jinshui District Market Supervision Bureau of Zhengzhou City received a tip from the public security authorities and launched an investigation into a local auto parts company suspected of selling counterfeit bearings bearings bearing registered trademarks. The investigation confirmed that from 2020 to July 17, 2025, the company had been selling counterfeit bearings bearing the logos of seven well-known brands, including BMW, Ford, and Honda, with total sales amounting to 37,700 yuan. Enforcement officers also seized 4,351 suspected infringing bearings that had not yet been sold at the scene.

Bearings are core components of automotive transmission systems, and their quality directly affects vehicle operating safety. Counterfeit bearings, due to their inferior materials and crude workmanship, not only have a much shorter lifespan than genuine products but are also prone to jamming and breakage during use, posing a significant threat to vehicle safety. The company's long-term sale of counterfeit bearings from multiple brands not only infringes on the intellectual property rights of trademark holders but also seriously threatens the personal and property safety of end users.

The company's actions violated Article 57 of the Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China, constituting the illegal sale of goods infringing on registered trademark rights. On September 30, 2025, the Jinshui District Market Supervision Bureau issued an administrative penalty decision against the party concerned: confiscating all bearings infringing on registered trademark rights and imposing a fine totaling 127,000 yuan.

This case reflects the continued existence of trademark infringement and the circulation of counterfeit and substandard products in the auto parts distribution sector. Market supervision departments remind businesses to operate with integrity and in accordance with the law, strictly control their procurement channels, and establish and improve procurement inspection and record-keeping systems. At the same time, they urge consumers to purchase bearings and other key automotive parts through authorized channels, pay attention to distinguishing genuine products from counterfeits, and jointly maintain market order in the industry.