HCM CITY — Japan’ s Pioneer Group, a global manufacturer of automobile speakers and audio-visual products, pledged to crack down on any attempts to trade fake Pioneer products that would damage its reputation.

John Seki, Pioneer Electronics AsiaCentre Pte. Ltd.’ s Marketing and Sales Director of Mobile Entertainment Products in ASEAN and India, said at a press briefing last Thursday that the group would make every effort to fight counterfeiters.

Last May Pioneer requested authorities to handle five companies based in HCM City’s districts 5, 10, and 11 for allegedly trading copycat products branded as Chinese-or Japanese-made without a valid invoice.

Speaking at a briefing on “Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) under Vietnamese law and the Pioneer stance on counterfeiting in Viet Nam,” Seki said counterfeits are largely stolen from four sources: intellectual property owners, consumers, retailers and the State.

For every Pioneer product made, 13 similar counterfeits are simultaneously released onto the market, losing an estimated US$6 million of Pioneer’ s revenue, he said. — VNS