The market for fake goods is on the rise, with international trade in counterfeited or pirated products valued almost a half a trillion dollars.
According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, international trade of "fakes" represented 2.5 percent of overall world trade, or $461 billion, in 2013.
The report, "Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods: Mapping the Economic Impact," describes the effect of counterfeiting on a range of industries.
"The scope of the phenomenon appears to be greater than a decade ago," according to the OECD, a group of 34 nations that promote economic growth. The group includes the U.S., Germany and other countries that the OECD describes as advanced nations, as well as emerging countries it identifies as Mexico, Chile and Turkey.
Most of the fake goods appear to originate from China, the report said. Almost 20 percent of the total value of seized fake products violate the intellectual property rights of holders registered in the U.S., followed by Italy at 14.6 percent, France at 12.1 percent, Switzerland at 11.7 percent, Japan at 8.2 percent and Germany at 7.5 percent.
Rolex, Nike, Ray Ban and Louis Vuitton are brands that "seem to be more intensely targeted by counterfeiters," the report said.
Fake Nike shoes are worth between $5 to $200 on the counterfeit market, while Ray Ban sunglasses range from $5 to $150, the report found. Fake Louis Vuitton bags ranged from $5 to $1,500, while counterfeit Rolex watches were sold for $5 to $20,000, the report said.
Industries with the most counterfeit seizures in 2013, according to the OECD:
- Footwear
- Clothing, knitted or crocheted
- Articles of leather
- Electrical machinery and equipment
- Watches
- Instruments, optical, medical, etc.
- Clothing, non-knitted or crocheted
- Perfumes and cosmetics
- Toys
- Pharmaceuticals
- Jewelry
