Surge In Purchases Of Counterfeit Goods

[interestrateripoff]

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/oct/02/counterfeit-goods-surge-uk

It is now a €1bn market across Europe, growing by the day, and one in which a new generation of brand-obsessed British consumers are prepared to risk their health, and even their lives, in order to save money. Counterfeit goods have gone mainstream.

A new report by accountants PwC reveals British adults admitting that they regularly buy fake designer clothes, bags, accessories and perfumes as well as potentially lethal counterfeit alcohol, medicines and cigarettes. Illegal copies of films, car parts and even dangerous electrical goods are also in big demand.

The report shows that 18% of consumers admit to buying fake alcohol, despite the presence of toxic solvents that can cause blindness and even death. Some 16% said they had bought counterfeit medicines – often useless or dangerous versions of well-known drugs such as Viagra or slimming pills – and 13% have bought imitation branded cigarettes, despite the obvious health risks of such products.

It's the black economy recovery.

[SirGaz]

My brother has made quite a bit on ebay recently selling his empty aftershave bottles even empty boxes can fetch quite a few quid.

Probably unconnected

Why anyone would buy counterfeit drink is beyond me, it can only be to impress the dinner party set.

[Wurzel Of Highbridge]

I guess it wouldn't be hard to setup an anonymous website that ships this stuff in return for bit-coins.

[byron78]

This will grow and grow.

Black market is the natural result of squeezing the poorest in society.

Never gets factored in when they're cutting benefits but there's a direct connection. People have to eat. If there are no jobs and you've had your jobseekers stopped for not being a wizard capable of conjuring one from thin air, you either flog tat on fleabay, grow weed, or climb through other people's windows "recreationally".

Edited October 2, 2013 by byron78

[Jeremy424]

This reminds me of a programme I once watched about the black economy in India. It was the equivalent of a 'black society' though, the poor being eventually jettisoned and left to get on with it. With no policy to remedy the extreme divide you end up with extremes of wealth living side by side but to all intents and purposes not part of the same society.

[SirGaz]

This reminds me of a programme I once watched about the black economy in India. It was the equivalent of a 'black society' though, the poor being eventually jettisoned and left to get on with it. With no policy to remedy the extreme divide you end up with extremes of wealth living side by side but to all intents and purposes not part of the same society.

Its like that in Detroit already.

If you walk around some of the better off areas and your face doesn't fit a squad car will be there in minutes, meanwhile half a mile away its almost open warfare.

[skrillex]

I guess it wouldn't be hard to setup an anonymous website that ships this stuff in return for bit-coins.

The Silk Road already has hundreds of "designer" goods for sale.