Majority of Maltese justifies buying counterfeit products

This emerges from a recently published Eurobarometer survey conducted in March.

The survey shows that that respondents hailing from  Mediterranean and eastern European countries were the most likely to agree with buying counterfeit products when the price of the original is too high.

While 34% of British respondents and 31% of Finns think that there is nothing wrong in buying counterfeit products when the original is too expensive, 52% of Maltese, 54% of Spaniards, 55% of Bulgarians 67% of Greeks and 74% of Cypriots think likewise.

33% of Maltese compared to 31% of Europeans also agree with buying counterfeit luxury products. 43% of Maltese – compared to just 31% of Europeans – also agree with buying counterfeit products when the original product is not yet available were they live.

36% of Maltese – compared to 28% of Europeans – agreed with buying counterfeit products when “the quality of the product does not matter.”

Only 28% of the Maltese – compared to 41% of Europeans – objected to buying counterfeit products in every circumstance. On the other hand 14% – compared to 12% of Europeans – justify buying counterfeit products in all circumstances mentioned.

The British were the most averse to counterfeit products while the Cypriots were the least averse.

The survey also shows that 28% of the Maltese have bought a product in good faith, only to find out later that it was counterfeit. 20% of EU citizens had the same experience.

Asked what kind of product it was, 34% replied it was an electronic product, 24% a fashion item, 23% replied that it was a music product, 16% replied that it was a film, 6% said it was software, 8% sport wear and 7% perfume.

The counterfeit products most commonly bought in good faith in Europe were fashion wear and accessories, bought by 46%.

Music was the most commonly purchased counterfeit product in Spain (41%) while consumer electronics were the most commonly purchased fake goods in Malta (34%) and Latvia (31%).