Counterfeit goods are fakes or unauthorised replicas of a real product. Counterfeits tend to imitate something authentic to trick consumers who trust brands and logos when deciding to purchase a product.
Sometimes even local businesses may be tricked by their suppliers, as counterfeiters manage to precisely imitate the original product. Brand owners, who have worked hard to establish the brand’s reputation in the market, are also negatively impacted.
When consumers decide to buy a branded item, they expect its quality to be synonymous with the chosen brand. Counterfeits may appear safe and legitimate, but they are often of inferior quality. The counterfeiter’s only concern is to imitate the object and may therefore use materials that are very different from the ones used by the original producer.
According to Europol, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, certain ‘fake’ or ‘imitation’ items should never be purchased. These include: medicines and pharmaceutical products as they may contain ingredients that may cause irreversible health problems or even prove to be fatal; cigarettes and alcohol; clothing; batteries and electronic goods, as most of these items are not tested to meet the EU’s product safety requirements.
As counterfeit products are found everywhere, both online and in high-street stores, consumers need to pay attention to what is being purchased. This is especially so when buying goods from online-selling platforms where products cannot be physically inspected.
Furthermore, consumers should remember that EU customs administrations have the authority to detain and even destroy counterfeit products from entering the EU market.
While some consumers intentionally buy counterfeit goods, others genuinely think they are purchasing the real thing. The following are some tips on how consumers can verify whether a product is original before buying it:
Price
Usually counterfeited goods tend to be cheaper than the genuine brand. To make it more attractive, counterfeiters heavily discount fake products to trick consumers into believing they are buying an authentic product at a bargain. But in reality, the consumer will be left with an imitation rather than the promised bargain.
Quality
Counterfeited goods are usually of an inferior quality than the original. Consumers are advised to carefully observe the seams and labels on the product as often they are flawed and carelessly made.
If a deal is too good to be true, then it probably is
Consumers should also look out for the correct spelling of the brand’s name and that no details of the logo are missing or differ from the original one. The text on labels and laundry instructions must be carefully checked as it is quite common that there is some form of misspelling.
Packaging
Most high-street brands and businesses invest in high-quality packaging. Therefore, if the object is in ill-fitting, suspicious packaging or wrapped in cheap material, this should raise a warning sign that it is not authentic.
The store you are buying from
Usually only authorised retailers can sell the products of a particular brand. One can double-check whether the seller is authorised to sell by visiting the brand’s official website and verify if the retailer’s name is listed.
Payment method
Whether consumers are buying in-person or online, they should use their credit card as it is much safer and will contain the details of all transactions.
Online consumers should make sure they are buying from a website whose address begins with ‘https://’ and displays a lock symbol. This means the website complies with the quality requirements of the mark and promises a secure online shopping experience.
Most traders request payment from their customers via a credit card or debit card. One should be cautious when a trader requests other types of payment, such as bank transfers. Always keep the receipt of the purchased object and the order confirmation if the product is purchased online.
Consumers are always happy when they get a bargain; however, when purchasing a fake product at a lower price they may end up risking their health and safety. Always remember: if a deal is too good to be true, then it probably is!
This information has been provided by the European Consumer Centre Malta. The ECC-Net is a European network consisting of 30 European Consumer Centres, representing all EU member states and Iceland and Norway. The network is co-funded by the European Commission and the EU member states. In addition to assisting consumers in case of a complaint or dispute, members of the ECC-Net engage in joint projects to investigate specific business sectors. ECC Malta is hosted by the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA).
Odette Vella, Director, Information and Research Directorate