EUIPO: 1 in 3 Europeans are buying counterfeit products

According to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) 1 in 3 Europeans are buying counterfeit products.

The rise of counterfeits comes as technology makes it easier to buy and sell products online. So counterfeit consumption remains a battleground in Europe. For one in three Europeans, it is acceptable to buy such products when the original price is high. 

However, this figure rises to half for young consumers aged between 15 and 24, according to a new study by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). 

This is one of the main conclusions of this research, carried out among 25,824 people over 15 years of age residing in the Member States of the European Union.

Bulgaria, Spain and Ireland are the top three of Europe’s counterfeit  

13% of Europeans surveyed say they have intentionally bought counterfeits in the last 12 months. This figure rises to 26% in the 15-24 age group, double the EU average. On the other hand, in the case of 55-64-year-olds, it falls to 6% and less than 5% among the over-65s.

In the case of Spain, the figure stands at 20%, above the European average. This means that Spain is the second country in the European Union where most counterfeits have been acquired intentionally, behind Bulgaria with 24%. It is followed by Ireland (19%), Luxembourg (19%), and Romania (18%). The lowest rate is in Finland (8%). 

Among the most mentioned reasons to stop buying counterfeits, the main one is that the original products have a lower price, with 43% of the opinions. 

Otherwise, they would not do it. The risk of negative experiences, such as poor quality goods for 27% of people, safety risks for 25%, and penalties for 21%, is also a key factor for consumers to stop buying counterfeits.