Wear a fake- pay a fine!
In the European Union, politicians are very concerned about the huge amount of counterfeit goods that are disseminated. Every year, noteable global brands lose billions of dollars. Some European countries, such as France, Italy and Switzerland, have already introduced fines for buying and wearing fakes. There have been recorded cases of governments imposing a fine on tourists. In certain instances, the fines can be worth up to 300,000 euros, or around 2.5% of global imports.
France, and a number of other European powers famous for their fashion brands, lose billions of euros annually from counterfeits. For over a decade, the customs services of the European Union have been vigorous about taking preventative measures about fake goods that are imported and exported from European countries. Most fakes are made in China, and in 2007, the designer Phillippe Plein was so angry that he released a whole series of shirts with the inscription "F ** k you China". Today, the French Custom officers remain at war with Chinese counterfeits: they give fines to the producers AND buyers in order to resolve the issue of counterfeiting. Large fines, which are the amount of the original cost, or even more, await tourists who buy souvenirs from street vendors in Venice and Rome. Across Switzerland, posters are calling for caution in buying counterfeit goods.
According to the Counterfeiting and Piracy Department of the EU, in 2013, the counterfeit goods industry costs the global economy a total amount of 461 billion US dollars. In 2014, the number of counterfeit goods in Europe has grown dramatically. Customs services in the EU confiscated about 183 million items, imported mainly from China. The main buyers of counterfeit products are tourists, according to the European Commission.
So, everyone who is going to bring home fake sunglasses, bags, t-shirts or jeans from vacation, should think about making the right choice! Hundreds of tourists have already been fined thousands of euros, and, according to lawyers in France, falsification issues are much more rigorous than in Italy.
Many tourists are outraged: how can they be conscientious buyers if they cannot distinguish a fake from the original? After all, the difference is literally in the little things – an extra stitch or a secret zipper. The customs officers in France remain inexorable: do not buy cheap. Everyone should be clear that "Louis Vuitton" will never sell their goods for twenty euros!
Here are some tips you need to know in order to spot a fake Louis Vuitton:
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1. Symmetry: Monograms line must always be upwards and vertical.
2. Louis Vuitton never cuts off their "LV" logo on the seams.
3. Always make sure that the leather is vachetta cowhide leather and not vinyl!
4. Look on the embossed stamp that usually reads, "Louis Vuitton Paris” made in France/Germany/Italy/Spain or U.S.A". Look carefully at the two "TT's". They shouldn’t touch the word "VUITTON". Moreover, be sure that “O” is a letter “O” NOT a number “0”.
5. Pay attention to the canvas. Make sure that it isn't plastic-looking (most fakes are made from it), and try to see if the quality has a cheap look. These items are very expensive, and LV wouldn't put out a cheap looking product. So, make sure the product you are about to buy looks just perfect, without even 1% of imperfection!
Consumers, first of all, need to stop intentionally buying counterfeits. Consumers should also keep track of the effectiveness and quality of the goods that they purchase. They need to be alert for any inexplicable changes in quality (for example: between a recently purchased product and one they have purchased in the past). Low-quality goods should be reported to the genuine manufacturer or an appropriate regulatory agency to determine whether or not they are legitimate. The moral of the story is: stay current with customs laws!
Fun fact: a startup in New York has developed a gadget called “Entrupy” that can detect fake Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton bags with over 98% accuracy! It uses a handheld microscope camera and computer vision software to spot a fake. Thanks to “Entrupy”, $14 million worth of goods have already been authenticated.
