Fakes are rampant! Counterfeit goods in Europe are worth 119 billion euros each year

Counterfeit products are rampant, and the booming e-commerce market has provided another channel for the circulation of counterfeit products. According to a European survey report, more than half of the local seizures of illegal counterfeit goods in clothing, footwear, perfume and various items are related to e-commerce. Specifically, it accounts for about 56% of the total number in the EU .

But the figures they include may be underestimated because the pandemic and global lockdowns have led to a sharp increase in e-commerce, making it more difficult to track those shipments, according to the report.

According to statistics, global e-commerce sales accounted for 30% of GDP in 2019. Due to the epidemic last year, e-commerce transactions increased by more than 20%. According to Euipo estimates, the annual market size of counterfeit brands and various goods in Europe is about 119 billion euros, accounting for 5.8% of the total EU imports from third countries.

The survey also shows that there is not much difference between online channels and traditional offline sales of counterfeit products. From the category point of view, footwear products are "star products" in both channels , and counterfeit products are in high demand both online and offline. The second best-selling category is clothing , and the proportion of offline channels is slightly higher.

In addition, e-commerce platforms are more prominent in counterfeit goods in some categories, mainly in the perfume and cosmetics industry, pharmaceuticals, and optical photography (mainly for glasses). Among the seizures of these counterfeit goods, 70% are related to e-commerce.

The second is auto parts , where e-commerce channels account for about 68%, and the value of the products is higher. Medicines and watches are also relatively mature areas, with a value exceeding 20% ​​of the counterfeit category.

Among these counterfeit products, many are originated in China. The prosperity of e-commerce has provided an opportunity for counterfeit goods to run rampant. Although counterfeit products have low costs and high profits, this loses the basic conscience of sellers. Cross-border transactions will also affect the reputation of Made in China. Sellers should still focus on originality so that they can achieve long-term and stable development.

Europe

E-commerce

Fakes