60% of the sale of counterfeit products is conveyed through e-commerce. In pole position pharmaceutical and food items, cosmetics and toys. Consumer health and safety at risk: "Use harmful substances and do not comply with the rules" 17 Mar 2022 L. O.
The market for "fake" products does not only damage the economy and jobs. But also the health and safety of consumers and the environment. This was revealed by the report published by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) according to which perfumes, cosmetics, clothing, toys, spare parts for automobiles and pharmaceuticals are among the most common dangerous fake products. Italy ranks third in Europe among the countries most affected by the phenomenon, after Germany and Belgium: the United States ranks first on a global scale. Index of topics • Online “fake” market, the European scenario • The major exporting (and importing) countries • The impact of the pandemic • What are the various types of risks Online "fake" market, the European scenario For dangerous products destined for the EU, online sales accounted for 60% of global seizures. Of these, cosmetics were the most frequently seized products (46%), followed by clothing (18%), toys and games (17%) and spare parts for cars (8%).
The report, entitled “Dangerous Fakes. Trade in counterfeit goods that pose health, safety and environmental risks ", analyzes the data of the seizures carried out by the customs authorities and other data relating to the application of the rules and examines how dangerous counterfeits can end up in the hands of consumers. Legitimate suppliers, the document reads, "must comply with strict rules to ensure that their products do not harm consumers". Counterfeiters do not observe any of these regulations and, consequently, fake products can pose serious risks to health, safety and the environment. Major exporting (and importing) countries Most of the "dangerous fakes" come from China (55% of world customs seizures) and Hong Kong (19%), which made up almost three quarters of the seizures. Turkey represented the country of origin of 9% of dangerous products. Germany (with 47% of the world's customs seizures of the most dangerous fake products destined for the EU) is by far the main destination of these counterfeit goods within the EU in the period 2017-2019, followed by Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Spain and France. In terms of distribution, parcel post, thanks to the growing popularity of online shopping, is the preferred shipping method for counterfeiters. These small parcels complicate customs control and tracking procedures. Overall, 60% of the seized dangerous products were shipped by postal services, while sea transport was the most prevalent in terms of the value of the seizures. The impact of the pandemic The pandemic has affected trade in dangerous fake products and exacerbated existing trends. Criminals are profiting from the global crisis and authorities have reported a sharp increase in seizures of counterfeit medicines, test kits and personal protective equipment as well as other medical products. This is also true for other high-risk sectors, such as that of alcoholic beverages, where disruption of supply chains and changing demand have created new opportunities for criminals. "The illicit trade in counterfeit and pirated goods is a major challenge for our global economy - says EUIPO executive director Christian Archambeau -. It feeds organized crime, undermines sound public governance and threatens our NextGenerationEU recovery plan following the pandemic. Furthermore, as this new report in collaboration with the OECD points out, dangerous fakes create important risks to health, safety and the environment. We are confident that these data will help to understand the risk posed by counterfeiting to our society, facilitate the development of innovative policies to respond to these challenges and promote fair trade in the post-Covid-19 recovery. What are the various types of risks Substandard and counterfeit products can pose a threat to the health and, in some cases, the lives of consumers. Particular dangers were encountered in the case of counterfeit products ingested by consumers (food, drinks, medicines) or applied directly to the skin (cosmetics, perfumes). Again, the small parts of the toys, the mag components, netics and especially batteries can be ingested and cause significant intestinal damage to children. Some of the most frequent risks deriving from dangerous fake products include biological, chemical and physical injuries, strangulation, suffocation, burns, electric shocks, fires or hearing damage, just to name a few. Furthermore, many dangerous products carry several risks at the same time. For example, a counterfeit pesticide can be harmful to the environment and pose risks to people's health, while an object such as a fake car battery can cause serious damage to health, safety and the environment.
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