Fake clothing from Thailand no longer fined at Schiphol
Good news for Thailand visitors. According to an article in today's AD, you will no longer be fined at Schiphol. But beware, if you get caught, you will lose all your belongings.
The newspaper writes that the Public Prosecution Service has stopped handing out fines for the import of counterfeit articles, because it is 'too much hassle'. This remarkable decision would make the manufacturers of designer clothing furious.
No more fine
Everyone has done it at some point. You see a nice item of clothing, watch or bag from a well-known brand in Thailand and you buy it. You are not alone, every year thousands of Dutch people take counterfeit items from exclusive brands with them after their holiday. In countries such as Thailand or Turkey, they usually only cost a few euros. Last year, 127.000 of these counterfeit products were seized by customs at Schiphol alone.
Although you were already allowed to take three pieces for your own use without any problems, the risk of getting a fine is now virtually nil. Those who brought too many imitation products could be fined at least 175 euros. The Public Prosecution Service has decided to stop this. Fining the thousands of passengers with small amounts of designer clothes was too much paperwork. From now on, anyone who carries more than three fake products must hand in these items, but does not have to pay a fine. If you make it too furry, then you're screwed. Fifty or more counterfeit items will result in a fine.
Damage caused by counterfeiting is not too bad
Of course, the manufacturers of designer clothes are not happy with this decision. They believe that the new policy sends the wrong signal. Whether this is really so; opinions are divided on that. An earlier study in the 'British Journal of Criminology' showed that the manufacturers of the branded products hardly suffer from it. They enable tourists to buy beautiful things for little money. After all, the 'fake items' are purchased by people who would never buy the original products. They also help to increase the brand awareness of the original. According to the investigation, the damage would amount to less than a fifth of the amount that the producers themselves say they are missing out on. “The counterfeit goods help the luxury brands as it speeds up the fashion circle and raises the brand awareness,” confirms well-known British criminologist David Wall.
That fake articles are good for the brand awareness of the real brand is a travesty. That the buyers of fake items would never buy the genuine items is a blow in the air.
But I do have a caveat
Those expensive brands often have their products made in the same countries where the tourist buys his fake Lacoste shirt and that is done by workers who are just as exploited and underpaid as the makers of the fake items.
I wonder why the taxpayer has to pay the salary of a customs officer who is busy protecting big companies?
And as for the fakes, chances are the fakes just came out of production in the same factory, made by the same workers.
And then sold for a fair price.
No, the man/woman who knowingly or unknowingly buys the counterfeit will never ever buy the branded item, simply because the buyer's financial situation will never allow it.
Well…..my wife works at the Jutujak week-end market in BKK and sells suitcases, bags, etc. the police of that district regularly come to collect the monthly bribes from her boss, counterfeit items are sold in abundance…actually the whole thing revolves stall on copies. When you stroll along the various stalls (mini shops), almost everything is feak when it comes to branded items.
As long as people buy it for their own use, it will be a problem for the manufacturer….it only becomes annoying when people offer it via the Internet or on markets in Europe or other Western-oriented countries.
There is nothing wrong with a good copy.
After the article about fake items, the companies that sell the more expensive brands were on their back legs, but if you visit the open day at any football club and want to buy a new shirt, you soon pay 65 € for an adult shirt and where are they? these shirts usually make for a pittance, especially in Thailand where the workers can assemble them for a pittance in salary, so the companies don't have a pack of butter on their heads but a whole mountain of butter with their whining. And also the well-known polos all come from Thailand and surrounding countries.
Good talks Tukker.
That's how it goes in the world, I completely agree with you on your post.
Many shirts are also made here where I live.
The local population certainly does not get rich, but remains poor.
Kind regards, Jantje
Counterfeiting is distorted competition. If you can't afford something original, you shouldn't steal it, want it. When manufacturers market their branded products too expensive, they will not be sold (sufficiently) and the price will be lowered as a result. Because counterfeiting and piracy are (apparently) uncontrollable in (not only) Thailand, and many articles (watches, clothes, CDs, DVDs, more) it is not yet common sense to consider it normal to buy a rip-off . Market mechanism is the only and fair way of doing business. Too expensive? Do not buy! Will it be cheaper by itself? But why do people want that brand on it so badly? Show that you secretly want to radiate wealth?
Moderator: I don't understand your comment, so I'm afraid other readers don't either.