Retailers Launch Coalition To Fight Counterfeits On Amazon

WASHINGTON - The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), whose members include companies such as Walmart Inc and Target Corp , said on Friday it has joined over a dozen trade groups to form a coalition to fight counterfeit goods on online platforms such as Amazon.com Inc .

The coalition, called The Buy Safe America Coalition, will back legislation that would require digital marketplaces to verify information about third-party merchants on their platform, RILA said.

The lobbying push comes at a time when Amazon has been under scrutiny from lawmakers and the White House over the sale of counterfeit items.

In addition to RILA, the Toy Association, American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association and other industry groups are also joining the coalition.

Bloomberg was first to report the story.