EUIPO study shows: Half of young consumers find it acceptable to buy fakes

Mostar, June 15, 2023 - New study by European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) ‘European Citizens and Intellectual Property: Perception, Awareness and Behaviour’, finds that Europeans are becoming increasingly conscious of the risks associated with buying counterfeit goods and accessing content from illegal sources.

According to the study, 83 % of Europeans say that they have a rather good or very good understanding of the concept of intellectual property. A large majority of Europeans agrees on the value of respecting IP. The consensus is highest when it comes to the importance of IP to protect producers of IP-protected content, and to avoid others inappropriately claiming ownership over this content. Thus 93 % of those surveyed believe that it is important for inventors, publishers, creators and performing artists to be able to protect their rights and be paid for their work

According to the study, 80 % of Europeans believe that criminal organizations are behind counterfeit products and acknowledge that such purchases harm businesses and employment. Moreover, 83 % think that buying counterfeits supports unethical behaviour, and two-thirds recognise the potential threats to health, safety, and the environment. When it comes to digital piracy, 82 % agree that accessing content illegally poses risks such as scams and exposure to inappropriate content for minors.

Despite these findings, the study reveals a disconnect between awareness and behaviour. One in three Europeans (31 %) finds it acceptable to buy counterfeit products if the price of the genuine product is too high. Among younger consumers aged 15-24, this figure jumps to 50 %.

One major deterrent to buying counterfeit products is price. A more affordable price for original products is cited by 43 % as the top reason for refraining from buying fakes. The risk of poor quality (27 %), safety concerns (25 %), and legal repercussions (21 %) also play a role.

Additionally, 41 % of Europeans are uncertain about the legality of the sources they use for online content. Despite this, 80 % prefer to use legal sources if they are affordable. Notably, 65 % consider it acceptable to engage in piracy if content is not available through their subscriptions.