EUROPEAN CITIZENS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: PERCEPTION, AWARENESS AND BEHAVIOUR

The EUIPO Observatory has just published the 2023 “European Citizens and Intellectual Property: Perception, Awareness and Behaviour” (2023 IP Perception study) as the central element of this year’s Spring Campaign, on the occasion of the World anti-counterfeiting Day. 

The 2023 IP Perception study gathers knowledge on European consumers’ attitudes towards intellectual property (IP), the degree to which they respect these rights, and the concept that they have of IP as a whole. 

The main findings of the Study can be summarised as follows: 

1. 80% of Europeans believe that criminal organisations are behind counterfeit products and acknowledge that such purchases harm businesses and employment. Moreover, 83% think that buying counterfeits supports unethical behavior, and two-thirds recognise the potential threats to health, safety, and the environment. When it comes to digital piracy, 82% agree that accessing content illegally poses risks such as scams and exposure to inappropriate content for minors.
2. One in three Europeans (31%) finds it acceptable to buy counterfeit products if the price of the genuine product is too high. Among younger consumers aged 15-24, this figure jumps to 50 %.
3. In the past year, 13% of Europeans admit to having intentionally purchased counterfeits. This figure is substantially higher among those aged 15-24, at 26%, but falls to 6 % for those aged 55-64 and below 5% for individuals over 65
4. Bulgaria leads in the intentional purchase of counterfeits at 24 %, followed by Spain (20%), Ireland (19%), Luxembourg (19%), and Romania (18%).
5. One major deterrent to buying counterfeit products is price. A more affordable price for original products is cited by 43% as the top reason for refraining from buying fakes.
6. 41% of Europeans are uncertain about the legality of the sources they use for online content. 

 A copy of the Study can be accessed here.