2 Min Lesezeit

The ‘Plagiarius’ negative award was once again presented at the Ambiente consumer goods fair. For almost half a century, it has been campaigning for the protection of original products and denouncing manufacturers and retailers who profit from the production of deceptively genuine counterfeits.

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The symbolic trophy of the Plagiarius campaign, a black dwarf with a golden nose, symbolises the profits that product pirates make at the expense of designers and companies. It was awarded for the 49th time at a press conference at Ambiente to particularly brazen manufacturers and retailers.

The first prize goes to counterfeits of the ‘KNIPEX TwinGrip’ front and side gripping pliers. The original was manufactured by KNIPEX-Werk C. Gustav Putsch KG in Wuppertal, while the counterfeits were offered by Chinese dealers via the Temu platform. The original features an innovative combination of front and side gripping functions, while the copies are made from inferior materials and have a poorer finish.
The second prize was awarded to a copy of the bicycle basket ‘bikebasket’ by Reisenthel Accessoires GmbH & Co. KG. The counterfeit was sold via the online marketplace ManoMano, although the retailer ‘START’ did not provide any company or contact details.
The third prize went to a French gift wholesaler who used the motif of a greeting card by artist Jörg Mohme from the ‘African Impressions’ series for a 35-piece porcelain range without first obtaining a licence.

Product Piracy: Billions Lost to the Economy

The scale of the problem is enormous: in 2023, more than 152 million counterfeit products worth around €3.4 billion were seized at the EU’s external borders and in the internal market. In particular, online platforms such as Temu, Shein and Alibaba are increasingly criticised for offering large quantities of infringing products. European business and trade associations are calling for stricter enforcement of EU standards.

The Jury and Its Decision

The jury, which changes every year, is made up of representatives from a wide range of industries. This year’s members were Valentin Dahlhaus (SPRiNTUS GmbH), Beate Ernst (PHILIP MORRIS GmbH), Wolfgang Keiner (Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA), Karla Sánchez Meier (Design Zentrum Baden-Württemberg / Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart) and Dr Alexander Schmitz (Maiwald GmbH). The jury received legal advice from Dr Aliki Busse (Maiwald GmbH). The laudatory speech was given by Dr Maria Skottke-Klein, Vice President of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office.