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Young people are buying more and more counterfeit brands. High-quality imitations hardly differ from the original to the naked eye. But importing into Switzerland is prohibited and involves risks.
“This is the best fake product I’ve ever had,” says a Tiktoker, pointing to her fake designer bag. «Look how clean these seams are. That’s a 10 out of 10,” says another while holding her fake sneakers up to the camera.
Legend:
Influencers advertise counterfeit brands on Tiktok and show how you can get these products online.
Tiktok/Parmis.sly/Marie_abm/lulegret
Young people are becoming more and more open to counterfeits. 37 percent of 15 to 24 year olds say they have intentionally bought a counterfeit product online. This is shown by a survey by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (Euipo) from 2022. For comparison: In 2019 it was 14 percent.
When someone wears an original, you wonder why. It looks the same.
Damian, who has a different name in real life, also has this experience. The 17-year-old orders fake jackets, bags, sneakers and hats from abroad and sells them on his Instagram channel. He says Generation Z is no longer ashamed of wearing fakes. “That has changed completely. When someone wears an original, you wonder why. It looks the same.”
Legend:
Ksenia Ticò, an employee of a luxury second-hand shop, shows SRF presenter Michelle Feer how she goes about determining the authenticity of a bag.
SRF
Because the quality of counterfeits is increasing. Ksenia Ticò works at the luxury second-hand shop Reawake and regularly carries out authenticity checks. To confirm authenticity, she needs all her senses. She looks at a bag with a magnifying glass, touches the leather and smells it. But the case is not always clear: “The quality of the non-authentic pieces is now sensational.”
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In the Zurich-Mülligen letter center, they pick up an average of 25 consignments containing counterfeits per day, says Tanja Brunner, head of Zurich Customs.
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Most counterfeits are usually manufactured outside the EU, with over half of imported products coming from China. “This issue is getting bigger and bigger,” says Tanja Brunner, head of Zurich Customs. In 2022, around 8,000 products were detained at Swiss customs.
Trading in counterfeits is a punishable offense in Switzerland. However, Damian’s fear of being caught is limited. “I’m more afraid that the customer won’t pay when I hand over the goods to them,” says the reseller. He earns an average of between 1,000 and 2,000 francs a month.
Legend:
Over 60 percent of the counterfeits detected are shoes, clothes, fashion accessories and bags.
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The OECD and the EUIPO estimate the global damage caused by counterfeit brands in 2019 at around 412 billion euros. This corresponds to around 2.5 percent of world trade. The trade in counterfeits can also have negative consequences for consumers.
When you buy a counterfeit you also run a health risk, explains Marc Wullschleger. He is president of the Stop Piracy association, which campaigns against counterfeits. It is possible that materials were used to produce a bag that, in the worst case, could be harmful to health.
The counterfeit industry is a lucrative business if you are a criminal who wants to generate money for your means.
You also have to be aware that buying a counterfeit brand could potentially support criminal activities. “The counterfeit industry is a lucrative business if you, as a criminal, want to generate money for your means,” continues Wullschleger.
Legend:
«My customers don’t buy a jacket from me so that they can stay warm. “They just think they’re beautiful and want to follow the trend,” says Damian in an interview with the presenter.
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Damian doesn’t know enough about the dark side of the fake business, so he doesn’t have a bad conscience. Nevertheless, he doesn’t want to sell counterfeit fashion forever: “That’s how I build up my capital and then I do something legal.”
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As complicated and complex as our world is, we want to understand it. To do this, we are looking for answers: In reports, we immerse ourselves in our Swiss society and take you with us: Give you deep talk, doubts and rays of hope with our hosts Amila Redzic, Livio Carlin and Michelle Feer.
All episodes of “SRF Impact” are on Play SRF.