Spain is the second EU country that intentionally buys the most counterfeits, according to the EUIPO

21% of Spaniards acknowledge having accessed content illegally, especially to watch sports

ALICANTE/MADRID, June 12 (EUROPA PRESS) -

Spain is the second country in the European Union (EU) that intentionally buys the most counterfeit products, only behind Bulgaria, according to a study by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

Specifically, the proportion of consumers who have intentionally purchased counterfeits ranges from 24% in Bulgaria to 8% in Finland. Apart from Bulgaria, the intentional acquisition of counterfeits is above the European average in Spain (20%), Ireland (19%), Luxembourg (19%) and Romania (18%).

This is revealed by a new study on the perception of European citizens about intellectual property, published this Monday by the European office based in Alicante, as reported by the EUIPO in a statement.

The investigation shows that 20% of Spaniards have intentionally bought counterfeit products in the last twelve months, the country with the second highest average in the EU, only behind Bulgaria (24%). In this way, Spain is above the European average, which amounts to 13% of people who say they have intentionally bought counterfeits.

At the European level, this figure rises to 26% in the case of people between 15 and 24 years old -twice the EU average--, while it decreases to 6% in the age group of 55 to 64 years and less than 5% among people 65 years and older.

The study also shows that Europeans are increasingly aware of the risks and consequences of purchasing counterfeit products and accessing pirated content. Specifically, 80% of Europeans believe that criminal organizations are behind counterfeits and consider that buying these products ruins companies and destroys jobs.

Along the same lines, 83% of those surveyed also believe that this type of purchase supports "unethical" behaviour, and two-thirds consider it a "threat" to health, safety and the environment.

When it comes to piracy, 82% of Europeans agree that accessing digital content through illegal sources can lead to harmful practices, such as scams or content unsuitable for minors.

However, the research also shows that 1 in 3 Europeans (31%) consider it acceptable to buy counterfeit products when the price of the original is high. This figure rises to half (50%) in the case of younger consumers, between 15 and 24 years of age.

Among the most mentioned reasons to stop buying counterfeits, the main one is that the original products have a lower price, with 43% of the opinions. Likewise, the risk of negative experiences (poor quality products for 27% of people, security risks for 25% and penalties for 21%) is also a key factor for consumers to stop buying counterfeits.

On the other hand, uncertainty regarding authenticity is also increasing. In this sense, almost four out of ten Europeans (39%) have ever wondered if they have bought a counterfeit product, while half of young people (52%) say the same thing.

The differences between Member States are also significant and while around a quarter of consumers in Denmark and the Netherlands (26%) were not sure whether what they were buying was authentic or not, this number rises to 72% in Romania.

Likewise, Europeans also have doubts about the legality of the sources they use to view online content. In this regard, 41% wonder if the source through which they accessed was legal or not.

The executive director of the EUIPO, Christian Archambeau, has highlighted that knowing the perceptions of the public "helps to initiate a useful debate with both consumers and interested parties", within the framework of its awareness-raising and dissemination activities.

"The study provides new insights into how IPR infringement is perceived and highlights, once again, the need to support and protect consumers. It also confirms positive developments in awareness and availability of digital content from legal sources," he said.

Regarding digital piracy, Europeans are generally opposed to consuming pirated content and 80% say they prefer to use legal sources to access online content if an affordable option is available.

In fact, almost nine out of ten people are aware of at least one type of legal content offer in their country and, in the last year, more than four out of ten Europeans (43%) have paid for a legal service to access, download or see by 'streaming' content protected by copyright. However, a large majority of people surveyed (65%) find it acceptable to hack when content is not available on their subscription.

In addition, 14% of Europeans admit to having intentionally accessed content through illegal sources in the last twelve months. The percentage increases to one in three (33%) in the case of young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Specifically, piracy was used, above all, to watch sports broadcasts, through illegal streaming devices or applications.

The proportion of people accessing pirated content also varies by country, from 9% in Finland and Denmark to 22% in Malta.

As for the most mentioned reasons for not opting for pirated content, the main ones are greater affordability and variety of content from legal sources.

On the other hand, the Association for the Defense of the Brand (Andema) and the National Association of Perfumery and Cosmetics (Stanpa), have described the data in the report as "worrying" and have claimed the need to build, "based on education, a society of responsible consumers who are sensitive to the harm and dangers" caused by counterfeit products.

"The data is worrying because they have been increasing in recent years. If, in addition, we look only at the age range of 15 to 24 years, the EUIPO highlighted, in a study from just one year ago, that 49% of Spaniards admitted having bought counterfeits on purpose. This year, we are once again above the European average, which stands at 13%," warned the general director of Andema, Gerard Guiu.

According to the report, 80% of Spaniards are aware of the damage caused by counterfeiting for the economy and for consumer safety.

"In this sense, it seems that we are achieving, little by little, that the public knows what is hidden behind counterfeits, but there is still a percentage of the population that consciously chooses to purchase these products. If there is no demand , the offer is over," he said.

For her part, the general director of Stanpa, Val Díez, has indicated that the "problem of counterfeiting is not limited to damage to a brand, as it might seem, but rather has a serious economic, social and health impact".

In the case of perfumes and cosmetics, products that are in contact with the skin for hours, Stanpa's technical director, Pilar García, has warned that "counterfeit perfumes are fraud, they have a very different composition from the originals and include industrial solvents, toxic or prohibited components, something that is very serious for the health of the skin".