Amazon and camera-maker Canon have joined forces to sue 29 sellers who sold counterfeit Canon camera batteries and chargers on the e-commerce giant’s US store.

The big name brands filed the lawsuit alleging infringement of Canon’s trademark rights in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Canon said: “Sales of counterfeit goods on e-commerce websites are increasing in proportion to the growth of the e-commerce market, and Canon and Amazon are collaborating in fighting against counterfeiters and protecting both of our customers. This joint lawsuit was filed as a part of our collaboration.”

Many of Canon’s camera are sold on Amazon, along with associated accessories, chargers and batteries. It stated that it aggressively pursues counterfeiters in the US and around the world to protect its customers from fake and potentially unsafe products, which unlawfully use the Canon name, as well as to protect the value, trusted reputation and loyalty that the Canon brand ”has acquired over decades in producing high-quality, safe and reliable products”. 

Amazon added that it “shares Canon’s commitment to addressing the industry-wide issue of counterfeiting, and we are pleased to collaborate with the iconic camera brand.”

Canon is enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry and Project Zero, both of which are brand protection tools that aided Canon and Amazon in identifying the counterfeits in the Amazon store.

In the past year, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit sued or referred for investigation over 1,300 criminals in the US, the UK, EU and China. Amazon also seized and appropriately disposed of over six million counterfeit products, preventing them from being resold anywhere in the supply chain.

The Anti-counterfeiting World Law Summit, which is hosted by The Global Legal Post, will take place in London on 18 October. For sponsorship enquiries contact [email protected] and to book your place email [email protected]