According to experts, there are a particularly large number of counterfeit jerseys in circulation before the World Cup. The demand for fan items increases around major sporting events, said Julia Hentsch, head of legal and consumer policy at the brand association.
“Experience has shown that the supply of counterfeits also increases significantly.” According to the expert, it is impossible to estimate the extent of the damage because the sale is not recorded. The market takes place in secret.
Almost one in five (19 percent) in Germany has bought a football jersey once or several times – for example on the Internet or in markets or in shops in holiday destinations abroad – that was probably not an original product. This is shown by a representative YouGov survey conducted on May 19th with around 4,000 people aged 18 and over. The proportion is highest among people between the ages of 18 and 24 (31 percent).
According to an estimate published in 2024 by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), counterfeit sporting goods cause around 850 million euros in damage every year in the European Union. This corresponds to around eleven percent of the industry’s sales. According to the evaluation, Germany is one of the countries particularly affected.