On the occasion of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) published, on 10 June 2026, the results of a study showing that product design is an important factor for consumers, but also that products with distinctive designs are frequent targets of counterfeiting and unauthorised copying.
According to the results of the study conducted at the European Union level, as many as 72% of consumers consider product design to be an important factor when making purchasing decisions, while for 31% of respondents design is very or extremely important.
Almost three quarters of consumers (73%) are also willing to pay a higher price for a product with a better design. The importance of design is particularly pronounced among younger consumers: as many as 80% of young people aged 18 to 24 state that design is an important factor in their purchasing decisions, and they are more likely to pay more for better-designed products.
EUIPO data also point to the serious consequences of counterfeiting. According to EUIPO estimates, the clothing industry in the European Union loses around EUR 12 billion annually due to counterfeits, while manufacturers of bags, jewellery and watches record losses of around EUR 2.7 billion.
The expansion of the counterfeit market is further fuelled by the growth of e-commerce and the influence of social media. The study shows that around 13% of European Union citizens have knowingly purchased counterfeit products, while that percentage rises to 26% among young people aged 15 to 24.
At the same time, the analysis indicates that design protection is an important instrument in the fight against counterfeits and unauthorised copies, and also contributes to strengthening the European Union’s competitiveness on the global market.
In addition to economic damage, counterfeit products may pose risks to health, consumer safety and the environment, as they often fail to meet the prescribed quality and safety standards. Studies also indicate that trade in counterfeit goods is linked to organised criminal groups and, in some cases, to labour exploitation.
These findings once again confirm the importance of industrial design protection as a significant tool in combating counterfeiting, preserving innovation and strengthening the competitiveness of the economy.
You can read the EUIPO press release at the following link.