Irish demand for counterfeit goods exceeds EU average with half of young people okay with buying fakes

Despite rising awareness and hesitancy to support counterfeit goods, just under a fifth of Irish people admitted to intentionally purchasing fake products

As strong demand persists, the survey also found that people are becoming increasingly aware of the risks and consequences of buying counterfeits, yet, 13% of Europeans have still intentionally sought out fake products

As sustained inflation continues to bite across the EU, counterfeit products have encountered maintained demand despite public perception remaining unsupportive of black market goods.

New research carried out by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has found that the vast majority of Europeans believe counterfeits have adverse effects on businesses and support criminal organisations, with more than 80% agreeing that it facilitates unethical behaviours.