Agency Sounds the Alarm on Rampant Counterfeit Products on Amazon

NORTHVILLE, Mich., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading consumer packaged goods (CPG) advertising and marketing agency, Jekyll + Hyde Labs, is blowing the whistle on a dangerous and growing issue: counterfeit products flooding Amazon listings—putting consumers' health at risk and costing trusted brands millions in lost revenue.

A study cited by SellerApp, an e-commerce analytics platform, suggests that between 10% and 60% of all products sold on Amazon may be counterfeit—a staggering range that signals how widespread the problem may be.

This warning follows a disturbing discovery shared by one of the agency's long-time clients—a reputable brand in the health and wellness space whose product line includes well-known skincare supplements and topical treatments. After suspecting product tampering, the company purchased several suspect units of their own product from Amazon and sent them for mass spectrometry testing. The results confirmed their fears: the counterfeit versions contained none of the verified active ingredients found in legitimate products.

"The packaging was nearly identical—but the contents were something else entirely," said Dr. Mark Young, CEO of Jekyll + Hyde Labs. "When consumers unknowingly use fake products, they're not just wasting money—they're putting their health at risk. In some cases, counterfeit formulations might even include harmful substances or undisclosed allergens. That's not just a brand problem. That's a public health emergency."

Shockingly, recent independent searches conducted by the agency uncovered even more alarming evidence: counterfeit infant formula that normally sells for $36, being openly sold for less than $2 on Alibaba.com.

At the heart of this issue is Amazon's "Buy Box" system, which allows third-party sellers, including those overseas, to list and sell the same product listing if they claim it is new and unopened. This opens the door for sophisticated counterfeiters, especially in China, to flood Amazon with fake versions of hard-to-verify products like dietary supplements and skincare, but also essential goods like infant formula and other critical consumer products. The risks are no longer limited to product disappointment; they now include serious health and safety threats.

These bad actors often mirror the product's design and branding so closely that customers don't realize anything is wrong—until the product doesn't work as expected, or worse, they begin to experience health issues. For consumers with allergies or sensitivities, the risks are even higher.

Despite repeated attempts by hundreds of brands, as well as Jekyll + Hyde Labs, to work with Amazon on this issue, the response has been minimal. Amazon claims to be working on the problem but to date it has made no significant efforts to protect the public. Clearly Federal involvement is the only hope to save the public from fraudulent and potentially dangerous fake consumer products.

Jekyll + Hyde Labs, based in Northville, Michigan, is nationally recognized as a leading advertising and marketing agency for consumer-packaged goods. The firm has launched and built over two hundred brands with sales measured in the billions.

For media inquiries, expert commentary, or interviews with Jekyll + Hyde Labs leadership, please contact: 

Tracey Fors
Jekyll + Hyde Labs
[email protected]
www.jekyllhydelabs.com

About Jekyll + Hyde Labs:
For over 30 years, Jekyll + Hyde Labs has helped CPG brands scale with speed and precision. Not just an advertising agency, Jekyll + Hyde Labs is the cheat code for explosive growth in mass retail, and the preferred retail partner for today's boldest challenger brands. Jekyll + Hyde Labs provides daring, audacious marketing and retail strategies for brands playing to win and dominate their category. Challengers aren't just welcome here, they're encouraged.

SOURCE Jekyll + Hyde Labs