Fake goods sales fall across EU but up 20% in Ireland

PURCHASES of fake goods in Ireland were up 20% last year, bucking a trend which saw counterfeiters take a big hit across the EU on foot of the economic downturn.

The biggest demand was for cigarettes, clothes, medicines and beauty products such as hair-straightening lotions.

And the internet is proving a boon to counterfeiters, as goods can be easily ordered online and sent through the post, making them more difficult for customs to detect.