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Vacation Season: Don’t Give Counterfeits a Chance!

Latest EU figures: Counterfeit soccer jerseys seized; counterfeits harm small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular – DPMA President appeals to consumers ahead of the upcoming vacation season

Press release dated 26 June 2026

Munich. Summer, sun—caution. Vacationers should not be lured by supposed bargains on the beach or in street shops. Whether it’s handbags, sunglasses, or soccer jerseys: Brand-name products offered at extremely low prices are often counterfeits. In light of recent European Union (EU) figures on the damage caused by piracy and with the start of the vacation season, the President of the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), Eva Schewior, is addressing consumers.

“Don’t give counterfeits a chance, even on vacation! Stick with originals—and don’t let yourself be tempted into buying fakes,” says DPMA President Eva Schewior. “Product and trademark piracy harms the companies that invest money in the development and production of originals, costs tens of thousands of jobs in Germany, and reduces prosperity for all of us. In some cases, counterfeit products even endanger people’s health.” As studies show, there are also links between product and trademark piracy and organized crime.

Summer, sun—soccer. In Spain, law enforcement agencies seized 66,000 counterfeit soccer jerseys and other equipment shortly before the World Cup. The counterfeit items were apparently intended for sale during the ongoing World Cup. National, European, and international police agencies participated in Operation „Cleantrade“, supported by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Working closely with the EUIPO, the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) regularly raises awareness about trademark and design protection.

An important contribution is the publication and analysis of data. A recent survey by the EUIPO shows, for example, that for 72 percent of European consumers, design is an important factor in their purchasing decisions. Among younger consumers (aged 18 to 24), this figure is as high as 80 percent. Good design is worth the money: 70 percent of Germans surveyed are willing to pay more for better-designed products.

These industries are particularly affected: fashion, furniture, electronics

Because design has high economic value, design-driven industries are, according to the EUIPO, particularly vulnerable to counterfeiting and unauthorized imitations. Key sectors include fashion, furniture, and electronics—and many other consumer goods sectors are affected as well. According to the EUIPO, annual losses across Europe in the apparel industry are estimated at 12 billion euros, and in the handbag and jewelry industries at approximately 2.7 billion euros. In Germany alone, losses in these sectors amount to more than 3.3 billion euros.

Small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly affected

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly affected when products they have developed and designed are counterfeited. This is because SMEs disproportionately often base their business on a small number of distinctive designs—and at the same time, they have only limited resources to monitor their protected designs and take action against infringements.

Industries with a high degree of intellectual property protection contribute disproportionately to economic output

Intellectual property rights—designs, patents, utility models, and trademarks—are of immense importance to the European economy and, in particular, to the German economy: As a comprehensive analysis by the EUIPO and the European Patent Office from this year shows, IP-intensive sectors account for 30.6 percent of all jobs in the European Union (for the period 2021 to 2023). For Germany, this figure is even higher, at 34.1 percent. These sectors generated approximately 47.9 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product. At 47.2 percent, Germany is nearly at this level. Wages and salaries in IP-intensive sectors are significantly higher than in other industries.

Industrial Property Rights as a Fundamental First Step

Patents, trademarks, utility models, and designs: Industrial property rights form the foundation that enables original manufacturers to establish, prove, and enforce their rights. The German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) works together with the EUIPO, other international organizations, and German agencies such as customs to combat product piracy. In addition, the DPMA provides information and raises awareness on this topic. Further information on product and trademark piracy can be found on our website.

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office

Inventiveness and creativity need effective protection. The DPMA is the German centre of expertise for all intellectual property rights – patents, utility models, trade marks and designs. As the largest national patent office in Europe and the sixth largest national patent office in the world, our office stands for the future of Germany as a country of inventors in a globalised economy. Its staff of around 2,800 at three locations – Munich, Jena and Berlin – provide services to inventors and companies. They implement federal innovation strategies and develop the national, European and international protection systems.

Bilder: gettyimages/Edwin Leung

Last updated: 26 June 2026