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

These two Manchester United shirts are side by side, but the genuine one would cost £85 and the other just £15. However, there is no obvious difference between the two.

Counterfeit football kits are not a recent issue, but some experts have expressed concerns that the subpar materials used to make them could be harmful.

“We simply don’t know what these kits contain because they could be dangerous for our health,” says Trading Standards’ Louise Baxter-Scott.

The pressure of Christmas, the cost of living, and their poor craftsmanship “pushed people toward a less expensive alternative,” according to the statement.

Additionally, Chloe Long, the Anti-Counterfeiting Group’s deputy director general, warns that wearing fake kits could make those who wear them rash.

She claims that putting on that strip might make you irritable. It might even lead to bigger issues, especially if those products are made with noxious toxins or dyes.

Long has assisted in the tracking of counterfeit goods, which frequently come from Chinese factories.

When asked if the fake strips contain any toxins, she replies, “It’s very difficult to know retrospectively what was put into the product, but you can see in some cases that they might be harmful.

And they don’t adhere to any rules. They are not subject to the same rules and laws as legitimate manufacturers.

According to Long, the counterfeiters are only motivated by price, and they have no morals or standards.

They will do whatever they can get their hands on, she says, “to make this look as real as possible.”

In the majority of cases, the cost is the only factor.

Adult Premier League men’s shirts cost between £60 and £85. You could pay up to £120 if you add badges and personalize it with your name.

Fans are increasingly purchasing fakes online, primarily from Chinese websites, at these prices.

The BBC discovered a number of websites where fake Premier League shirts could be purchased for as little as £12.

And almost everyone claimed to have purchased one when we approached fans outside the top-flight game between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield.

Finn, a Liverpool supporter in his 20s, said, “It’s so simple. When it could be purchased for between £20 and £25, why would you spend £120? especially for those in my generation who may not have as much money.

Official replica shirts were “far too expensive,” according to another fan who had traveled from Dublin with his two young sons.

He said, “If you buy the original brands, I believe we’re up to £70-£80 now, even for a kids one.”

However, we recently had a negative experience with a fake in terms of quality. It lasted for a day.

None of the fans we spoke with were aware that some kits could be produced using subpar materials that might be harmful, despite the fact that all of them knew where to buy fake kits and that they were very affordable.

In the UK, purchasing fake kits is illegal, but selling them is against the law. Anyone found guilty could receive a 10-year prison sentence and an unrestricted fine.

The Premier League’s anti-counterfeiting program, according to figures released by the BBC, helped seize 1.1 million items worth more than £70 million for the seasons 2020-21 to 2024-25.

Additionally, it eliminated more than a million fake product listings online, with an estimated £20.4 million worth.

It’s a “perfect storm,” according to kit designer Rob Warner.

Warner previously worked for Umbro and Puma, and he was a part of the Italian team’s 2006 World Cup strip design team.

An official replica is estimated to cost about £10, according to Warner. He claims that the club and the brand make about 70% of the markup.

Fans may find that difficult to swallow, but he adds that extensive research and development goes into producing professional strips.

He claims that the cost of producing a product exceeds the cost of its components.

You wouldn’t enter a restaurant and say, “I’m not paying £20 for that; I could get a steak from the supermarket for £4. ” You are also paying for the chef and the environment.

It’s similar to what happens with football kits, according to the author.

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Even for professional designers, he says, “It can be difficult to tell the difference.” Your typical consumer wouldn’t notice that there are important things to watch out for, according to the author.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Group claims that a product is probably not authentic if it is not on a trustworthy website and costs a lot of money.

It all depends on the labels, according to James Humphrey, the owner of a retro football kit store in York.

He says that most brands, including Adidas and Nike, have a code that can be entered into a search engine and show a picture of the shirt.

Humphrey claims that a different shirt is fake if one does.

Pen marks are another good sign to watch out for, he says. A person physically inspects a fake football shirt while they write a little “tick” on the label.

They don’t check by hand with, say, “for Nike shirts, for example.”

Humphrey is concerned that the rise in counterfeit kits will have an impact on his company and that he may have to downsize or even close.

With everything that is happening with the cost of living, he says, “It’s a struggle anyway.”

Not Real Madrid or Manchester United, I’m. The hit won’t work for me. My shop’s profits are used to pay my bills and taxes.

Every day, every week, I experience “every little bit,” “every less shirt sale.”