Fake!

Citation

(2001), "Fake!", Work Study, Vol. 50 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2001.07950caf.002

Fake!

Fake!Keywords: Research, Surveys, Counterfeiting, Consumer goods

A revealing survey from new consumer lifestyle magazine, Therapy for Shopaholics, shows that a staggering 80 per cent of people in Britain have bought counterfeit goods.

The research, in which 500 people were questioned, uncovers the other startling fact that 77 per cent of us bought a fake item within the last six months. Seventy-eight per cent even claimed that it is very easy to pick up fake goods.

There appears to be a rapidly growing black market in clothes, trainers, videos and cosmetics as well as perfume. Official bodies like the Anti-Counterfeiting Group say that the practice is costing manufacturers, brand owners and the taxman a breathtaking £6bn a year in the UK alone. The cost is nearer £60bn for the rest of the EU.

The survey also shows that a majority of Britons have no moral problem with buying fakes; 61 per cent of people believe there is "nothing wrong" with it; 57 per cent even claimed they are prepared to collude with law breakers because of the high cost of designer goods. (For example, at £138 Chanel No. 5 is one of the priciest perfumes on the high street, but copies sell for as little as £12 a bottle.)

Forty per cent of people questioned said markets are the main source of illegal goods. Buying "dodgy" goods abroad followed at 12 per cent, with pubs coming in slightly behind at 11 per cent. Other places where people said fakes were available included car boot sales and the high street.

Manufacturers, trading standards officials and the government say the public is being ripped off by cheap and inferior goods. However, 75 per cent of those surveyed said they had no complaints about the quality of their counterfeit purchases.

Manufacturers claim that due to "weak controls" Britain has become Europe's capital of counterfeiting. By contrast, it is an offence even to possess fake goods in France.

Dr Kim Howells MP, Minister for Consumer Affairs said in response to the survey:

The statistics make depressing reading. That is why we have such a big battle ahead to change people's perceptions. We have done some work to point out the wider implications to society of buying fake goods but know there is much more to be done.

On prices of branded goods, we did, of course, publish a survey last year of international price comparisons showing that in general prices in the UK are not higher than elsewhere. However, we accept that consumers may perceive some branded goods to be too expensive; manufacturers and retailers have to play their part in justifying their prices and convincing consumers that they are getting good value for money if we are to succeed in persuading consumers to steer clear of fakes.

Seltzer Cole, publisher of Therapy for Shopaholics said:

Our survey unveils some very hard truths about consumers' perception towards fake goods. Most people weren't overly bothered about making public their confessions. It seems that the justification was the high price of genuine goods. Almost certainly, Christmas time, when the counterfeiters ramp up production just like legitimate manufacturers, will have seen another peak in this growing market.