Nearly one in three young Danes knowingly buys counterfeit goods, new research shows. The habit costs them money, puts their health at risk, and places Denmark well above the EU average for fake product consumption.
Young Danes have a counterfeit problem. A new analysis from Patent and Trademark Office reveals that 30 percent of Danes aged 15 to 24 deliberately purchased fake goods in the past year. The numbers get worse when you break them down. Among young women, 34 percent bought counterfeits. Among 15 to 17 year olds, the figure jumps to 37 percent.
I have lived in Denmark long enough to know that Danes pride themselves on quality and design. Yet their teenagers are buying knockoff Nikes and fake cosmetics at rates that exceed most of Europe. The EU average for deliberate counterfeit purchases sits around 13 percent, depending on the year measured. Denmark consistently scores higher.
Price Drives the Market
The reason is simple. Money. According to the analysis, 58 percent of young buyers say counterfeits are cheaper. Another 34 percent admit they cannot afford the originals. When a genuine branded hoodie costs 800 kroner and a fake costs 150, the choice feels obvious to a student on SU.
But the cheap price comes with consequences. More than half of young counterfeit buyers report problems with their purchases. Products arrive broken, never arrive at all, or fall apart within weeks. Some face customs seizures. Others deal with allergic reactions from fake makeup or clothing that contains harmful chemicals.
Health and Safety Risks Are Real
Barbara Suhr Jessen, section chief at the Patent and Trademark Office, warns that counterfeit goods are not subject to the same safety controls as legitimate products. Fake cosmetics can contain mercury or lead. Counterfeit electronics can catch fire. Fake clothing may be treated with dangerous substances that cause skin irritation or worse.
The analysis shows that 58 percent of young counterfeit buyers have experienced negative consequences. Yet many continue to buy fakes anyway. Suhr Jessen notes that young people often only consider the risks after something goes wrong. By then, they have already lost money and have little recourse for refunds or complaints.
Denmark has launched several awareness campaigns targeting young people, including “Jeg vælger ægte” (I choose real). The campaigns emphasize both personal risks and broader societal consequences. Counterfeit trade is frequently linked to organized crime networks involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and forced labor.
Social Media Plays a Role
Young Danes discover counterfeits primarily through social media and friends. TikTok and Instagram are the main channels, especially among the youngest age groups. The actual purchases happen on online marketplaces, websites, or physical stores, often abroad but also within Denmark.
This creates a problem for legitimate Danish retailers. When 30 percent of young consumers actively seek out fakes, Danish webshops lose significant sales. The counterfeit market also damages brand trust when poorly made copies circulate and create negative experiences.
An EU study from 2022 found that 39 percent of young Danes had knowingly bought counterfeits, compared to 37 percent across the EU. Earlier data from 2019 showed 17 percent of Danish youth buying fakes deliberately, seven percentage points above the EU average. The new 2026 figure of 30 percent suggests a slight decline from the 2022 peak, but Denmark still ranks above European norms.
Many Buy Fakes Without Knowing It
The problem extends beyond deliberate purchases. EU data shows that many young Danes buy counterfeits without realizing it. In one survey, 18 percent reported unknowingly purchasing fakes, while another 28 percent were unsure whether a product they bought was genuine.
This reflects the murky nature of online shopping. Young people struggle to distinguish real products from sophisticated copies, especially when shopping on unfamiliar platforms or through social media ads. The Patent and Trademark Office advises checking for warning signs like suspiciously low prices, poor grammar on websites, vague contact information, and strange web addresses.
Digital piracy follows similar patterns. Around 20 percent of young Danes deliberately access pirated films, music, or games. This mirrors EU averages and suggests a broader cultural attitude among youth toward intellectual property. When asked, about half of young Europeans say buying counterfeits is acceptable “in certain situations,” particularly when the original feels overpriced.
Authorities Struggle With Enforcement
Danish authorities focus primarily on education rather than punishing individual buyers. It is the sale and distribution of counterfeits that carries penalties, not the purchase. Buyers risk losing money and having goods confiscated at customs, but rarely face legal consequences.
The EU has strengthened rules requiring online platforms to remove illegal content, including counterfeit listings. But enforcement remains patchy. Small Danish retailers lack resources to monitor international platforms where copies of their products appear. Large marketplaces move slowly to remove fake listings, and new ones pop up constantly.
From an expat perspective, the counterfeit issue reveals a tension in Danish society. Danes value authenticity and craftsmanship in principle, but in practice, economic pressures push young people toward cheap alternatives. The cultural emphasis on fitting in and having the right look creates pressure that many teenagers cannot afford to meet legitimately.
Parents carry responsibility here too, according to the Patent and Trademark Office. If your teenager suddenly owns expensive branded items, it is worth asking where they came from and whether they are real. An open conversation about online shopping habits can help young people avoid both the health risks and the ethical problems tied to counterfeits.
The new data from 2026 suggests Denmark may be making progress. The 30 percent figure represents a drop from 39 percent two years earlier. Whether that reflects successful awareness campaigns or changing youth attitudes remains unclear. What is clear is that nearly one in three young Danes still chooses to buy fakes, putting themselves at risk and fueling a trade with serious consequences.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Reshopper Bans Shein Over Product Safety Concerns
The Danish Dream: Danish Municipality Bans Resale of Shein and Temu Clothes
The Danish Dream: EU Ends Tax Free Temu and Shein Shopping
Ritzau: Hver tredje unge køber kopivarer
