Credit crunch sees fake fashion rise

Counterfeit fashion thrives in times of economic downturn, and susceptible brands need to be vigilant and protect their businesses when the demand for fake fashion is at a peak, according to Antony Gold, head of retail sector at law firm Eversheds.

According to Gold, the internet has proved an immeasurably helpful tool for sales and distribution for counterfeit goods as it is easy and inexpensive to set up web-sites and new ones can readily rise from the ashes of the old. Last year it was estimated that $135 billion of counterfeit goods were sold online and major counterfeiters tend to be based in jurisdictions which are often not as friendly to brand owners as their home courts.

The problem cannot really be solved by educating or harassing the consumer, says Gold, as market forces are too persuasive to expect counterfeiting to be curbed by good citizenship alone. It has to be tackled at source, at distribution and at point of sale. Brand owners need to use web surveillance technologies to identify key infringers. They must then target their actions as cost effectively as possible to get maximum value from their brand protection spend. (Retail Bulletin)