$18 billion in sales makes for Alibaba’s biggest-ever Singles Day – but what cut is going to counterfeiters?

The Chinese celebration of Singles Day each November 11 has become one of the world’s largest shopping events – and has arguably turned into the most important day in the calendar for many of the world’s top brand owners. But as e-commerce giant Alibaba reports record Singles Day turnover for 2016, as well as greater-than-ever buy-in from foreign brands, the true extent of trademark infringement and counterfeit trade taking place during the event remains to be seen.