Protecting the Promise Behind Every Genuine HP Printer Cartridge

When someone purchases an HP cartridge, they're not just buying ink or toner-they're investing in the performance, reliability, print quality, efficiency, and security built on decades of innovation. Protecting that experience is our responsibility.

That's why we take a consistent, global approach to safeguarding our intellectual property (IP), helping ensure customers, partners, and businesses receive the quality they expect while reducing the risks associated with infringing or counterfeit products.

Today, we're sharing an update on recent developments that support these commitments, including a landmark legal judgment affirming protections for HP's patented technologies and new independent studies that prove Original HP supplies are worth it. These actions help protect customers' data, support a fair marketplace, and reinforce the quality customers expect from HP.

A Major Judgment Against the World's Largest Compatible Manufacturer

HP has obtained an IP infringement judgment against Ninestar Corporation (recently rebranded as "Pantum Technology Co., Ltd."), alongside four of its subsidiaries. A German court confirmed that G&G branded parallel imports of HP 963XL cartridges (unauthorized remanufactured cartridges based on originals sold in other regions) infringed HP's EP3530470 patent. The orders against the defendants included ceasing the infringing activity, rendering accounts of sales, paying damages, and covering legal fees. Ninestar Corporation and three of its subsidiaries have appealed the decision.

This judgment is significant: the court found Pantum liable for patent infringement even though it did not directly sell the infringing products in Germany. In particular, the court reasoned that one of Pantum's core business activities - the global remanufacturing of printing supplies originally produced by third-party manufacturers, conducted through its corporate group - carries an inherent risk of infringing third-party IP rights.

Enforcement Actions Across the Globe

Beyond this case, HP continues to enforce its IP globally. In the first half of fiscal year 2026, HP secured two preliminary injunctions from the Unified Patent Court ruling in its favor against resellers, involving 924 and/or 937 cartridges, one of which followed an earlier settlement. The judgments, spanning multiple EU countries including Germany, France and the Netherlands, were followed by settlements and C&Ds with suppliers.

These actions resulted in cease-and-desist declarations signed by China-based Aster Graphics Company Ltd, one of the largest compatible printing supplies manufacturers, along with two of its European subsidiaries. These declarations cover patents EP286630, EP3530469, and EP3835965, and include payment of damages.

Clearing the Digital Marketplace

Enforcement doesn't stop with manufacturers and resellers-it extends to where customers shop. HP's enforcement efforts extend well beyond the courtroom. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, HP removed more than 1,700 infringing listings from Amazon across Europe and the United States, all tied to copyright infringement involving HP 210, 218, 219, and 220 cartridge models. These listings spanned more than 150 different brand names and sellers - primarily based in China - illustrating how quickly misleading products can proliferate online and create confusion for customers trying to make informed purchasing decisions.

This builds on HP's broader digital enforcement program. In the first half of 2025, HP collaborated with Amazon, eBay, and Facebook to remove approximately 120,000 lookalike listings globally - non-HP products presented in ways that could be mistaken for genuine HP supplies. These efforts reflect our commitment to protecting customers wherever they shop, helping ensure greater transparency across digital marketplaces and giving customers confidence they are purchasing authentic, reliable products that actually work.

Proactive Protection Through Education, Audits, and Enforcement

HP's Anti-Counterfeit (ACF) program remains a cornerstone of our broader IP protection strategy. In addition to online monitoring and legal enforcement, we educate partners and customers about how to identify and protect themselves from counterfeit products; offer free product audits to commercial customers; and collaborate with law enforcement agencies around the world. In the first quarter of 2026, those efforts yielded significant results: authorities seized more than 670,000 fake HP products, and over 10,000 counterfeit listings and pages were removed from online channels. These actions add to the more than 8 million counterfeit items seized over the past three years, reflecting our ongoing commitment to quality, transparency, and customer trust.

The Proof is in the Print: Why Original HP Supplies Are Worth It

Legal enforcement is only part of how HP protects the customer experience. Independent research helps quantify the real-world cost and performance differences between Original HP supplies and non-original alternatives - because the risks extend well beyond price.

For ink, a January 2026 SpencerLab study¹ compared US remanufactured cartridges with Original HP Ink. Sixty percent of remanufactured cartridges were defective: 2 out of 5 failed right out of the box, and 1 in 5 failed prematurely. On average, they delivered 59% fewer pages than advertised - and in some cases caused printer damage. Original HP Ink worked the first time, every time, delivering the pages expected without the hassle.

A similar pattern emerges for toner. A 2025 Escalent study² of 250 HP service technicians found that 87% recommend Original HP Toner to protect printers, networks, and data, while 90% say they distrust imitation cartridges. About 91% report that imitation cartridges shorten printer lifespan, and 87% of the printer damage they encounter is caused by non-original cartridges. A November 2025 SpencerLab study³ found that 92% of imitation toner cartridges have quality issues, while Original HP Toner performed consistently.

The bottom line: a lower price at checkout rarely delivers real value when a cartridge fails on page one, prints far fewer pages than promised, or damages the printer it was meant to serve.

Why This Work Matters

At its core, every enforcement action HP takes is about protecting the customer experience. Counterfeit and infringing cartridges don't just impact IP - they expose customers to real risks, including subpar print quality, reliability issues, and security concerns. By defending our intellectual property, we help ensure that HP customers can rely on their printers to accomplish their best work.

We will continue to take action across the supply chain - from global manufacturers to regional distributors to online sellers-to address infringement and uphold the standards customers depend on with every print. We will also continue to share updates on this work, because transparency and accountability are part of the promise we make to every HP customer.

For more information on HP's Anti-Counterfeit efforts or to report suspected counterfeit activity, visit hp.com/go/anticounterfeit.