Fake WD-40 intercepted in Puerto Rico

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has seized a shipment containing nearly 1,500 cans of counterfeit WD-40 brand lubricant sent from China at the San Juan Area Port.

CBP officers inspected the consignment of 30 boxes of product declared as an 'anti-rust lubricant', and suspected possible infringement of a registered trademark that was confirmed when the agency contacted the manufacturer and trademark owner. The estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of the shipment is nearly $8,000.

A few weeks Rev magazine reported that counterfeit versions of WD-40 products have been circulating in the Singapore market. The fake WD-40 is sold in cans which feature a slightly smaller 350ml can than the genuine 382ml product, and can also be distinguished by the description on the can which is printed in Chinese only rather than in both English and Chinese.

WD-40 has wrestled with counterfeiting for years, saying in the early 2000s that counterfeit WD-40 products in China accounted for around 25 per cent of the market, around half its own legitimate share of 50 per cent. It has tried to protect the brand by introducing distinctive bottle shapes and the uFaker anti-counterfeit app.