Fakes

From clothing to handbags, counterfeiting in Italia is worth 2.3 billion

This is the finding of a study by the European Union Design Office, which is working effectively but has to contend with counterfeits

by Davide Madeddu

12 June 2026

Borse italiane contraffatte in vendita per strada Adobe Stock

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

The EUIPO survey
Losses of 12 billion in the EU

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

From clothing to handbags, via jewellery and watches. The counterfeit design market is costing Italia €2.3 billion. Specifically, €1.7 billion in clothing, and €640 million in handbags, jewellery and watches. SMEs are particularly vulnerable.

The EUIPO investigation

This is according to findings published by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which indicate that a product’s design plays a decisive role in consumers’ purchasing decisions across the European Union. ‘However, as the importance of design in consumer decisions increases,’ the EUIPO points out, ‘European designers and businesses are exposed to growing risks arising from counterfeiting.’

Design is important to 72% of respondents

According to the EU-wide survey, ‘72% of European consumers consider product design to be important when deciding what to buy’. “Around a third (31%) say that design is very or extremely important when purchasing a product,” the EUIPO points out. Furthermore, half of EU consumers appreciate good design and almost three in four (73%) are willing to pay more for a product with a better design.”

The issue of counterfeiting

However, it is counterfeiting and unauthorised copying that undermine the value of design: ‘key sectors such as fashion, furniture, electronics and other consumer goods’.

The research shows that around 13% of Europeans say they have deliberately bought counterfeit goods, a figure that rises to 26% among younger consumers aged between 15 and 24.

Losses of €12 billion in the EU

According to EUIPO data, the fashion and clothing industry, which is closely linked to design, suffers estimated annual losses of €12 billion, whilst counterfeit handbags, jewellery and watches cost legitimate manufacturers around €2.7 billion in lost sales each year across the EU. ‘In Italy, counterfeiting is responsible for annual losses of €1.7 billion in the clothing sector and €640 million in the handbags, jewellery and watches sectors.’

SMEs most at risk

SMEs are particularly vulnerable to this type of infringement, as they often rely on a limited number of distinctive designs and have limited capacity to monitor and enforce their design rights.

“The protection of designs,” comments João Negrão, Executive Director of EUIPO, “gives creators the confidence they need to innovate and provides businesses with a competitive advantage, thereby fostering the growth and competitiveness on which the European economy is built.”

Consumer safety

In addition to the economic impact, counterfeit goods can pose serious risks to consumer health and safety and to the environment, as they often fail to meet safety and quality standards. ‘Research also shows,’ the organisation concludes, ‘that the trade in counterfeit goods is linked to organised crime networks and, in some cases, to labour exploitation.’