Are parallel imports legal?
In many markets, importing genuine branded goods outside the official channel is lawful; in others it is restricted. The answer turns on a legal concept called trademark exhaustion — and on ordinary product-compliance rules that apply to any import. This guide explains the landscape in plain terms. It is general information, not legal advice.
The core concept: trademark exhaustion
A brand owner's right to control the sale of a product ends — is "exhausted" — once the product has been sold. The open question is where that first sale must happen for the right to be exhausted in your market:
- International exhaustion: a genuine product sold anywhere in the world can be resold in your market. Most permissive for parallel imports.
- Regional exhaustion: the first sale must happen inside a trade region (the EU model) for resale within that region to be free.
- National exhaustion: only a first sale inside your own country exhausts the right, which limits classic parallel importing.
Which regime applies is a national (or regional) policy choice, and it differs by country and sometimes by product type.
What this means in practice
- In markets with international exhaustion, parallel importing of genuine goods is generally lawful commerce.
- In markets with regional or national exhaustion, brand owners may be able to block parallel imports of trademarked goods.
- Authenticity is always the line: importing counterfeit goods is illegal everywhere. Parallel import questions only ever concern genuine products.
Compliance still applies to genuine goods
Even where parallel importing is lawful, the importer of record — you — still owns normal import compliance:
- Labelling requirements (language, ingredients, safety warnings) for your market.
- Product registration or certification where your market requires it for the category.
- Customs duties and import taxes, declared correctly.
- Sector rules for sensitive categories such as food, cosmetics, medicines, and electronics.
None of this is unique to parallel imports; it is the same homework any importer does.
Practical checklist before you buy
- Confirm the exhaustion regime and any category-specific rules in your market. A local customs broker or trade lawyer can answer this quickly, and the answer rarely changes.
- Buy from suppliers who can evidence authenticity and provenance.
- Check the lot's labelling against your market's requirements before committing.
- Price in duties, taxes, and any relabelling work (see our landed-cost guide).
How Trade Sourcer approaches this
Every offer on Trade Sourcer lists its origin and intended target markets, and our team discusses market fit as part of every deal conversation. We broker genuine goods from vetted suppliers only. Responsibility for import compliance in your market remains with you as the buyer, which is why we surface origin and target-market information up front.