photo: analogicus, on Pixabay
Approximately 86 million fake items were detained in the European Union in 2021, an increase of almost 31 % compared to 2020, according to a joint report by the EUIPO and the European Commission. However, the estimated value of fake items detained in the EU amounted to over EUR 1.9 billion, a decrease of circa 3 % in 2021 compared to 2020.
Following spectacular growth over the past decade, which accelerated during the COVID‑19 pandemic, e‑commerce is now becoming a key platform for consumers in developed countries to buy counterfeit goods. In some countries, seizures of counterfeits from e‑commerce purchases represent the vast majority of all counterfeit seizures. COVID-19 has intensified the problem with criminal networks reacting very quickly to the crisis and adapting their strategies to take advantage of the shifting landscape.