What's the real cost of cheap, fake football shirts?

"And Chloe Long - deputy director general at the Anti-Counterfeiting Group - warns fake kits could even cause those wearing them to come out in a rash. "Wearing that strip could cause irritation," she says. "It could even cause more significant problems - particularly if harmful toxins or dyes are used to manufacture those products." Long has helped follow the supply chain of counterfeits, often originating from factories in China."

""It's very difficult to know retrospectively what's been put into the product, but you can see in some instances that they could be harmful. "And they don't follow any regulations. They're not bound by the same legalities and regulations the genuine manufacturers are." Long says the counterfeiters have no morals, no standards, and the only thing they are motivated by is price."

Counterfeit football shirts can be visually indistinguishable from genuine kits while costing a fraction of the price. Substandard materials, unknown dyes, and potential toxins in fake kits can cause skin irritation, rashes, or more significant health problems. Counterfeit products often originate from overseas factories and are not bound by the same legalities or safety regulations as genuine manufacturers. Counterfeiters prioritize price over safety and may use any available materials to imitate authentic appearance. Financial pressures, seasonal demand, and rising living costs increase consumer vulnerability and drive purchases of cheaper counterfeit alternatives.

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