Temu triples brands in intellectual property monitoring

Temu has tripled the number of brands covered by its proactive intellectual property monitoring to more than 15,000, according to its latest annual intellectual property enforcement report.

The ratio of proactive removals of potentially infringing listings to reactive takedowns rose to 331:1 during the reporting period, up from about 200:1 a year earlier. Covering June 2025 to May 2026, the report outlines how Temu handles intellectual property complaints, seller checks and listing reviews across its platform.

At the centre of the effort is a screening system that examines seller applications before merchants can join the site and checks listings before and after they go live. More than 40% of new seller applicants were rejected at onboarding after failing verification checks, while more than 16,000 stores were terminated during the period for repeated intellectual property violations.

Temu's detection database now contains more than 47 million images and 9.5 million keywords. Image coverage increased more than ninefold over the year, broadening the base for identifying products that may breach brand rights.

Temu also says it takes less than 24 hours on average to resolve intellectual property complaints. That is particularly significant for rights holders without dedicated legal or enforcement teams, who rely on platform operators to act quickly when disputed listings appear.

Seller screening

According to the report, every listing is screened against Temu's image and keyword database before publication and remains under review once live. The marketplace combines automated screening tools with human reviewers to identify suspected infringements and remove listings before a brand owner files a complaint.

Temu has also rolled out a consumer search intervention across all its operating markets. Searches using words such as fake, dupe and counterfeit return no product results and instead display a warning message about the risks linked to counterfeit goods. The feature blocks more than 80,000 such searches each day.

The latest figures point to a broader effort by large online marketplaces to show they are taking a more active role in brand protection, rather than relying mainly on notices from rights holders. The issue has drawn sustained scrutiny from consumer groups, brand owners and industry bodies as cross-border eCommerce platforms expand their reach.

Brand links

Temu's Brand Guardian Initiative now works directly with more than 3,000 brands, including about 500 small and medium-sized enterprises. Launched in 2024, the programme allows participating companies to provide trademark and other intellectual property information for inclusion in the platform's monitoring systems.

Brands in the scheme receive direct support and regular enforcement data whether or not they sell goods on Temu. The company also offers intellectual property compliance courses to merchants through its Seller Education Centre as part of a broader effort to reduce repeat violations.

Temu's engagement with the wider intellectual property sector also expanded during the year. It worked with more than 130 industry associations over the period, nearly double the number a year earlier.

Those relationships include links with international and national intellectual property groups such as the International Trademark Association and France's Union des Fabricants. Temu also joined the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition during the reporting period, adding to its existing role in the coalition's Marketplace Advisory Council.

The scale of Temu's operations gives added weight to any changes in how it polices listings. The platform operates in more than 90 markets and connects consumers with manufacturers, brands and merchants across a broad cross-border network, which can make monitoring and enforcement more complex.

Marketplace operators face competing pressures in this area. They need to keep barriers low enough for merchants to join and trade while also preventing the sale of goods that may infringe trademarks, designs or other protected rights. Automated systems can help review large volumes of listings, but rights holders have often argued that speed and accuracy remain uneven across the sector.

A Temu spokesperson said the company aims to remove suspect listings before rights holders are forced to act.

"We work to protect intellectual property before it becomes a problem for a rights holder," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the report reflects the company's main enforcement priorities.

"The report reflects our priorities of finding and removing potentially infringing listings proactively, resolving reported ones quickly and working directly with brands so the system keeps improving," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that stronger protections are necessary both for merchants with legitimate products and for consumers using the site.

"Strong intellectual property protection is essential for a healthy marketplace.

"Our work protects legitimate brand owners, helps consumers buy with confidence and builds trust in our marketplace. We will continue to invest in the people, tools and partnerships that make that protection stronger," the spokesperson said.