One in four would buy ‘fake World Cup products’ 10/06/2010 |
|
| |
| |
Research by internet shopping search engine, Kelkoo, has suggested that nearly 25% of UK consumers say they would purchase fake World Cup branded goods to save money.
With counterfeit products accounting for nearly a fifth of World Cup goods on sale, legitimate businesses could lose out on up to £50m.
The survey comes at the same time that the UK Border Agency seized more than a 1,000 fake replica England shirts.
Kelkoo UK managing director Bruce Fair said: "Big sporting events like the World Cup provide retailers and sporting manufacturers with a great opportunity to ramp up the sales of official merchandise.
"People who knowingly buy fake goods because they are cheaper are likely to find it a false economy, as they can often sacrifice quality and still pay out high sums of money relative to the actual value of the product."
Steve Terry from the UK Border Agency added: "Most of these goods have not had to go through safety tests which are compulsory for the genuine items. So it could be the thing you are using has the potential to be lethal.
"It is estimated something like £550m a year nationally is lost to the Exchequer and those are taxes which have to be made up by the rest of us."
Meanwhile, the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) shows that legitimate retailers are benefiting from the World Cup.
Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, said: "The run-up to the World Cup helped sales of televisions, though this was largely discount-driven.
“With the tournament getting closer, there should be a further uplift and to other football merchandise such as flags and replica kits.”
|
| Back |
| |
| |
|
|
 |
Advertisement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
