Photo: Rupixen

More than one in ten Danes have bought replicas of Danish design icons

Mar 9, 2021 | Analysis

9. March 2021

The Danish design industry is struggling. A new study shows that a large proportion of Danish consumers have either bought or expect to buy replicas of Danish design. But buying counterfeit goods is not without its consequences.

“It’s cheaper.”

This is one of the primary reasons why Danes purchase replica versions of well-known Danish design classics.

A new survey conducted by the research institute YouGov shows that more than one in ten of the surveyed Danes has bought replicas of e.g., Arne Jacobsen, Poul Henningsen, and Kay Bojesen, who top the list of most purchased replicas. The purchases have been made even though it is associated with various risks, for example, that the product does not have the necessary safety and environmental approvals, and that there is potential support for organized crime.

This past summer, Europol released a report that directly links copyright infringement to serious crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and forced labor[1]. Thus, buying a replica is not without personal and societal consequences, and investing in a piece of the original design is therefore about much more than finances, explains the director of the Danish Rights Alliance, Maria Fredenslund:

“It is also a question of choosing ethics, security, sustainability, and tradition. Counterfeit furniture is not produced according to the same standards as the originals and can be a direct danger to have in the home, just as they are often not produced under proper conditions.”

Nevertheless, the YouGov survey shows that as many as 11 percent of the Danes surveyed have bought replica designs within the past five years, while 19 percent expect to do so within the next two years.

The design industry is under pressure

The growing industry for counterfeit goods is felt in the Danish design industry. General Counsel at Louis Poulsen, Kristoffer Mejborn, says that they are experiencing an increasing number of cases regarding copies of their most iconic products, including the AJ and PH lamps, for which Louis Poulsen has the rights. However, it is not only the economy that is being challenged by replica producers:

“For decades, we have developed and safeguarded the quality, aesthetics, and functionality that are in our lamps. They are more than a product – they are part of a story and our common Danish cultural heritage. When you buy replicas of our lamps, it affects the work of several generations, and it challenges the continued preservation and development of the craft,” he explains.

Internet sales have greatly increased the need for better copyright protection in the world of design. In November 2020, a new independent design board was set up to make it easier to secure design rights in Denmark and to deal with infringements.

Lack of information about consequences

According to the consumers surveyed, they most often buy their replica designs on DBA (a Danish online marketplace for private sellers), Facebook, and at physical flea markets. Thus, many Danes are involved in breaking the law, as it is illegal to resell counterfeits once you have acquired them. There is thus a clear need to spread knowledge about the risks and consequences of buying and reselling replicas.

Last year, the Danish Rights Alliance published the flyer “Why originals?”, in collaboration with the design industry, to inform consumers about the choices that are a part of choosing an original design.

Read the flyer here


[1] Europol, ”IP crime and its link to other serious crimes focus on poly-criminality”, June 2020