- Title: France ramps up fight against fakes in the lead-up to Olympics
- Date: 9th July 2024
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (RECENT - MAY 30, 2024) (REUTERS) COUNTERFEIT CHANEL BAG ON DISPLAY IN COUNTERFEIT MUSEUM FAKE HERMES BAGS FAKE LUXURY BRAND HANDBAGS FAKE ROLEX WATCH MUSEUM PARIS, FRANCE (RECENT - MAY 30, 2024) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNIFAB DIRECTOR, DELPHINE SARFATI-SOBREIRA, SAYING: "Counterfeits are trying to enter the French national territory in an increasingly strong manner. The seizure by customs last year proves this as they seized more than 20 million counterfeit products and this figure has quadrupled in the space of four years. PARIS, FRANCE (RECENT - JUNE 3, 2024) (REUTERS) FAKE ROLEX WATCHES FAKE LOUIS VUITTON BAG VARIOUS OF FAKE NIKE SHIRT AND SOUTH AFRICAN WORLD CUP TROPHY FAKE SOUTH AFRICAN WORLD CUP MASCOT FAKE NIKE SHIRT AND SOUTH AFRICAN WORLD CUP TROPHY FAKE CLINIQUE PRODUCTS PARIS, FRANCE (RECENT - MAY 30, 2024) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNIFAB DIRECTOR, DELPHINE SARFATI-SOBREIRA, SAYING: "Criminals who know that counterfeiting brings huge returns with little investment also engage in other illegal activities such as arms trafficking, prostitution, human trafficking, etc. So, one should know that buying a counterfeit also means financing major trafficking going as far as terrorism."
- Embargoed: 23rd July 2024 11:36
- Keywords: Paris 2024 counterfeit
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, FRANCE
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA007708531052024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French authorities and brands are intensifying a crackdown on counterfeits ahead of the Olympics kicking off in two weeks, in a bid to ensure the millions of sports fans expected to visit France cannot get their hands on fakes ranging from Paris 2024 merchandise to Louis Vuitton bags.
The goal is to ensure no fake Olympic merchandise is available ahead of or during the Games – but also to tackle counterfeit products unrelated to the Olympics.
On the outskirts of Paris’ touristy St Ouen flea market one morning police officers swarmed in, shut down stores selling counterfeits including fake Louis Vuitton and Nike products, confiscated and destroyed 63,000 items of clothing, shoes and leather goods on the spot and arrested 10 people.
The dawn raid in early April was part of what the authorities describe as a pre-Olympic crackdown on counterfeits. The police were accompanied by 30 brand representatives, who helped verify the fakes.
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the most faked Olympic products are clothing, and items reproducing the mascot. The IOC said it and Paris 2024 both joined French brand protection group Union des Fabricants (UNIFAB) ahead of the Games.
“We’ve been working a lot ahead of the Olympic Games,” said Delphine Sarfati-Sobreira, head of UNIFAB, which has opened a museum to educate people on fake luxury items.
Fake fashion is big business. Counterfeit branded clothing alone is estimated to have cost companies in France 1.7 billion euros ($1.83 billion) in lost sales on average each year between 2018 and 2021, according to the European Union Intellectual Property Office.
With millions of extra visitors expected this summer to Paris and other host cities like Lille and Marseille, the potential market for fake branded clothes, bags, and shoes is significant. Visitors to France frequently seek out luxury goods from brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel, but those that cannot afford the real thing could be tempted by cheaper fakes.
France has already dialled up its efforts to stem the flow of fakes into the country, with customs seizing 20.5 million counterfeit products in 2023, a 78% increase on the 11.5 million seized in 2022, according to data released last month.
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