The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is urging consumers to be cautious when purchasing branded products online, especially those offered at significantly lower prices.

This comes as Breville Philippines, a leading brand of kitchen appliances, has seen a rise in complaints from consumers who bought counterfeit products from unauthorized sellers.

These unauthorized products often lack warranty coverage, genuine parts, and proper after-sales service.

Breville Philippines Food and Beverage Business Unit manager Haj Cortez-Flores stressed the importance of purchasing from authorized dealers.

"Our team is trained to provide expert advice and support. By buying from authorized sellers, you're not only getting a genuine product but also ensuring access to warranty claims, repairs, and genuine parts," Cortez-Flores said.

The company also assured consumers that genuine Breville products undergo rigorous testing and certification to meet local standards.

It also warned that counterfeit products may not comply with safety regulations, posing potential risks to consumers.

Each product shipment, upon arrival and after passing the local testing, is issued with a Certificate of Exemption or an Import Commodity Clearance Certificate. Customers may not receive the same quality assurance when purchasing from unauthorized sellers, who may not adhere to local import regulations for kitchen appliances like Breville Philippines.

Cortez-Flores also stressed that authorized sellers provide warranty coverage and access to authorized service centers, and only authorized service centers use genuine Breville parts for repairs.

The Breville manager also warned consumers to be wary of suspiciously low prices and online sellers with questionable reputations.

All spare parts and accessories used to service Breville Philippines’ products are sourced directly from Breville, except for cleaning tablets and solutions that can be bought from the Philippine distributor of Breville’s specified brand.

Meantime, the DTI encourages consumers to report any suspicious online sellers or counterfeit products to the appropriate authorities.