Trading authorities are taking action against Chinese companies that falsely brand their goods as Italian to lure customers. 

Following a one-year investigation, the Italian Trade Commission has reported 30 so-called Italian brands with no connection to Italy to the State Intellectual Property Office. 

"We found the Italian brands were China-made and just used Italy as a signboard to attract consumers," Gui Hua, a lawyer with the commission's Beijing branch, said on Sunday. 

"They never registered in Italy, let alone became popular or well-known across the world." 

The faux Italian products include bags, leather goods and bedding. 

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce has refused the trademark application of two of the reported brands, Gui said, but had given no response on the others. 

Giovanni de Sanctis, an official with the Italian Trade Commission, which has offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, leads the investigation into false brands to protect the image of real Italian products. 

De Sanctis began doubting the authenticity of some Italian-named products in China in August 2010 and found them to be false after checking the brand details with trade associations in his homeland. 

"It was unbelievable to see non-existent brands in China," Sanctis said. "I never imagined such a thing could happen." 

"What I do is to guard the reputation of goods made in Italy and hope that the Chinese government will pay more attention to those fake brands." 

De Sanctis and Gui said the prices of some of the false Italian brands were surprisingly high. 

"A mattress with an Italian brand is selling for 40,000 yuan ($6,332) or more, but has no connection with Italy," Gui said. 

China Daily also contacted companies across the country that used Italian slogans in their advertising. 

A draw-bar box handbag called Obosi, one of the faux Italian brands on the commission's blacklist, was prominently displayed on a company's website and was recommended by its staff. 

"Obosi is a popular brand that was authorized in Italy and made in South China's Guangdong province," said Zeng Zhaoxia, service manager of the company, adding that the bag cost 70 yuan. 

Meanwhile, a manager at a company selling leather goods under the label "Toskany", another alleged Italian brand on the blacklist, said the range was produced in Beijing and legally registered in China. 

But Gui said these brands had never been registered in Italy. 

"It's the sellers' excuse. They prefer to make up romantic Italian stories to confuse the public instead of facing up to their real faults," Gui added. 

Yu Guofu, a Beijing lawyer from Sheng Feng Law Firm who specializes in intellectual property cases, said many Chinese companies, especially the small ones, urgently need to be regulated. 

"The companies always introduce their brands as being born or having a long history in foreign countries to cheat customers. It is a form of false advertising that disturbs the regular market and leads to unfair competition," Yu said. 

If a Chinese company registers a brand with foreign logos or slogans, the trademark authority in the country can refuse its application on the basis that it has no connection to that foreign country, Yu added. 

"To avoid such false adverting or infringement, the relevant departments should do more investigations and the legal organs should hand out stricter punishments," he said. 

(Source: China Daily)