//Economy news

News from companies and industry associations, insights into best practice cases and counterfeiting incidents. As well as for example updates on brand protection activities of well-known companies or latest trends and developments in relevant industries and business sectors.

AI is fueling a boom in counterfeiting

23. March 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly driving down costs and increasing the pace of counterfeiting. According to recent reports and industry experiences, brand owners and online retailers may face massive challenges.

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50 years of Plagiarius: Negative award highlights brazen imitations

21. March 2026

For the 50^th time, the German Plagiarius negative award is drawing attention to selected knock-offs and imitations. This year, copycat baby bottles, washbasin fittings, and furniture were singled out – while an original brand manufacture also announces a major raid in China.

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Mercedes-Benz reports hundreds of raids for 2024

3. November 2025

Mercedes-Benz continues its strong stance against counterfeit goods, reporting nearly 800 enforcement actions last year. In addition, the car manufacturer has had hundreds of thousands of offers removed from online shops and social media.

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Negative award Plagiarius denounces brazen imitations

5. May 2025

The negative award Plagiarius puts a spotlight on particularly brazen imitations. This year's winners included, for example, tools, bicycle baskets, and medical products – many of which were imitations of products made by renowned companies in Baden‑Württemberg and Bavaria.

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Amazon turns to AI in the fight against counterfeiting

2. May 2025

In its latest brand report, e‑commerce giant Amazon talks about its recent successes in the fight against counterfeit products. The US company is placing a strong focus on technology, artificial intelligence, and targeted communications.

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Mercedes-Benz reports a marked increase in global raids

3. December 2024

Last year, the carmaker Mercedes‑Benz worked with authorities to remove more than 1.6 million counterfeit products from circulation. The number of raids carried out worldwide has increased by an impressive 20 percent.

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New communications campaign to reach Gen Z

20. June 2024

Together with e‑commerce giant Amazon, several German business associations currently want to alert teens and young adults to counterfeiting. Using social media, they aim to discourage Generation Z from buying counterfeits.

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Amazon takes action against counterfeiting

17. April 2024

Just as in the previous year, Amazon has again invested more than one billion euros in brand protection activities in 2023. This is revealed in the e‑commerce giant’s new brand protection report, which also summarizes important steps and notable results.

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