For many years, counterfeits were viewed as a problem primarily affecting luxury brands. Typically associated with fake designer handbags sold in street markets, enforcement strategies focused on identifying and dismantling relatively limited networks of infringers.
That world has changed. Today, online counterfeiting has become a volume problem affecting brands of every size and sector, from fashion and cosmetics to software, consumer electronics, and industrial products.
The scale of the challenge is striking. According to the latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and EUIPO research, global trade in counterfeit and pirated goods reached approximately USD 467 billion in 2021, representing around 2.3% of world trade. This is huge.
