Why Gen Z Doesn’t See Counterfeits the Way Brands Do

Here’s a cultural tension most brands don’t want to talk about: Gen Z doesn’t carry the same shame around buying counterfeits. In fact, a 2023 survey found 37% of Gen Z shoppers admit they’ve knowingly bought a fake — often framing it as “dupe culture” rather than fraud.

What feels like theft to a brand often feels like participation to a consumer raised on TikTok “dupe” hauls. When a beauty influencer posts, “this is a $12 dupe for the $60 version,” the counterfeit market is just one click away.

The counterfeit shift isn’t only about affordability. It’s also:

• Clout on a budget. Social media rewards the look of status more than the provenance.

• Rebellion. Buying fakes can feel like a rejection of luxury markups.

• Ambivalence toward IP. In an era of memes and remixes, ownership of logos and likenesses feels abstract.

For brands, the worst mistake is to moralize. Shaming consumers rarely works. Instead, forward-looking labels are flipping the narrative:

• Position authenticity as safety. Counterfeit cosmetics and supplements often contain harmful ingredients.

• Highlight longevity. Fakes rarely last; real items do.

• Tap into values. Sustainability messaging resonates: buying a knockoff means supporting disposable culture, not craft.

Gen Z may not see counterfeit goods as criminal, but they do care about health, ethics, and identity. The brands that connect authenticity to those values win them back.