IP Outreach Research > IP Crime
Reference
| Title: | Consumer Survey - Clothing & Footwear Sector |
| Author: | [Ledbury Research] |
| Source: | Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) |
| Year: | 2007 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | Counterfeiting |
| Focus: | Apparel and Shoes, Brands (deceptive counterfeits), Brands (non-deceptive counterfeits) |
| Country/Territory: | United Kingdom |
| Objective: | To understand the demographics, spending patterns and attitudes of consumers buying counterfeit clothing and footwear. |
| Sample: | 1.023 representative UK adults aged 16+ |
| Methodology: | Online survey via e-mail invitation |
Main Findings
29% of UK consumers admitted to having bought fake clothing/footwear during the past three years. 15% reported having done so in the past year (2006). Nearly one third of consumers may have unknowingly bought a fake. Overall, fake buyers were no different from the population as a whole. The most popular fakes were: t-shirts (with 30% of fake buyers having bought them), footwear (12%), jumpers/sweaters (9%), and tracksuits (6%).
Had the fake they had purchased been unavailable, 45% of fake buyers would not have bought anything, 39% would have bought a genuine alternative, and 16% would have bought another fake item.
61% of respondents reported acquiring the majority of fakes in the UK, mainly at market stalls (66%), online auctions (37%), designer discount outlets (19%), and discount stores (18%).
Most consumers agreed with the following affirmations: “genuine products are usually overpriced”, “I would be deterred from buying fakes if it was a crime”, “the government should do more to tackle the problem of fake products”, and “I would not buy fakes because of the links to organised crime”. Opinions were divided over whether to punish fake buyers, potential harm caused by fakes, and the value fakes provide for money.
[Date Added: Nov 20, 2008 ]