Customer watchdogs caution against annoyance with sports fan pieces.
Football enthusiasts across the nation are sporting flags, makeup, and other fan merchandise these days as they eagerly anticipate the upcoming European Championship. However, their joy for the event could take a hit, cautions the Bavarian Consumer Center. This could occur when lots of cash is wasted on fake products.
The Consumer Centers are issuing a word of caution about acquiring counterfeit fan items for the European Championship in Germany. As per Tatjana Halm, a lawyer at the Bavarian Consumer Center, "The cheaper it is, the more likely it is that it is a copied product." Furthermore, legal matters could become problematic for the buyer if there's any doubt regarding the legitimacy of the purchased product. Consequently, the consumer would have to return and destroy it.
As the tournament commences on June 14 in Munich with Germany's national team facing Scotland, there's a flurry of fan item sales. Authentic products, such as those bearing the tournament's logo, are only licensed by the European Football Union (UEFA). The official match ball, dubbed "Football Love," costs 153 euros on the UEFA's online store, while the mascot "Albaert" is available for 24 euros.
"Due to the very stringent licensing regulations, there is no true price competition," Halm explained. "The UEFA can set the price independently, which is not in the consumer's best interest." UEFA is known for its rigorous enforcement of licensing violations. "Counterfeit products are typically of low quality, may be made with harmful materials, and are often sold at the same price as the genuine article," UEFA stated.
Outside of the official EM merchandise, a plethora of unrelated fan goods is available, including Germany's iconic flag and makeup. According to Halm, "It's worth purchasing items that can be utilized for an extended period." After the tournament, there'll be other significant events like the Olympics, World Cup in handball, ice hockey, and basketball. If one invests in high-quality products, their long-term use won't be wasted after the tournament.
