Most Europeans are not counterfeit buyers
A recent survey by the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shows that Most Europeans avoid buying counterfeit goods. European consumers believe that buying counterfeit products supports unethical behaviour (83% of respondents), criminal organisations (80%) and has a negative impact on the economy, hinders business development and contributes to job losses (79%).
The survey was conducted in 27 European countries between 30 January and 15 February. A total of 25,824 people aged 15 and over were interviewed. 507 of them were in Luxembourg. Most of those interviewed were in employment, but students, pensioners, housewives and the unemployed were also included.
In general, recent surveys show that the proportion of Europeans who buy counterfeit products has decreased in recent years. However, more than 50% of young people aged 15-24 agree or strongly agree that counterfeiting is justified if the price of the original is too high. And four out of ten (41%) think it is acceptable to buy counterfeit luxury goods.
However, only 13% admitted to buying counterfeits in the last 12 months. And again, this figure is twice as high among young people as the EU average of 26%.
Bulgaria is the country where counterfeits are most commonly bought — 24% of respondents, followed by Spain (20%), Ireland and Luxembourg (19%) and Romania (18%). Finland has the lowest figure. Only 8% of respondents admit to buying counterfeits.
Pirated online content
Overall, piracy — obtaining digital content from illegal sources — is not supported by the majority of Europeans. Only 34% accept pirating if the content is intended to be used for personal use. In general, EU residents prefer to use official online applications and streaming services. This is despite the cost and availability of content.
In Luxembourg, however, 55% of respondents are willing to pay for streaming and applications to access content.
83% of respondents say that they have a fairly good or very good understanding of the concept of intellectual property (IP). The figures remain high for both groups - for those who have obtained content illegally and for those who have not.
