{"id":2275,"date":"2025-10-20T12:22:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T11:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redstareducation.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2275"},"modified":"2025-10-20T12:22:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T11:22:24","slug":"counterfeit-goods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redstareducation.co.uk\/blog\/counterfeit-goods\/","title":{"rendered":"Counterfeit Goods"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a34 billion<\/a> is lost to the UK economy every year due to the sale of counterfeit goods.<\/p>\n

Knowingly and Unknowingly Buying Counterfeit Goods<\/h2>\n

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development<\/a> reports that global trade in fake goods accounted for an estimated 467 billion USD in global trade in 2021.<\/p>\n

According to a government survey<\/a>, 24% of respondents stated they had knowingly made a counterfeit purchase. Therefore, some customers are actively seeking to buy counterfeit products due to them being cheaper than genuine items.<\/p>\n

However, some individuals are buying counterfeit goods without their knowledge, particularly with purchases made online. \u00a0Research by Experian<\/a> discovered that fake or counterfeit goods were the most common scams encountered by those using online marketplaces. \u00a0For information on other types of scams you might encounter when buying online, check out this blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Issue with Fakes<\/h2>\n

Counterfeit items can be faulty, made of poor-quality materials, and may not comply with UK safety standards. Counterfeit goods are untested and unregulated, meaning you cannot guarantee their safety.<\/p>\n

According to government information<\/a>, 75% of seized counterfeit children\u2019s toys fail safety tests, due to issues like choking hazards and the use of banned chemicals. The Anti-counterfeiting group also states that fake cosmetics, perfumes, and other beauty and hair products have been found to contain horse urine and rat droppings, in addition to toxic ingredients like arsenic, lead and mercury.<\/p>\n

Even counterfeit items which are a lower safety risk, like clothing, come with issues. As well as the quality issues already mentioned, buying counterfeit items like clothing can still do wider damage, as there are clear links between illicit trade and wider criminality, such as slave labour, child labour, human trafficking, drug trafficking, extortion, and money laundering. The United Nations provide more information on the links between counterfeit goods and transnational organised crime here.<\/p>\n

Avoiding Counterfeit Items<\/h2>\n

To avoid buying fakes, consider the following:<\/p>\n