Britain set to be blitzed by bogus England and Scotland strips as mobs linked to terrorism and modern slavery see gap in market due to high price of genuine shirts
The Government must act to stop fans buying counterfeit World Cup football kits because real ones are ‘completely unaffordable’, according to a supermarket boss.
A wave of fake England and Scotland strips is set to swamp Britain as supporters snub genuine kits for bogus cheap alternatives ahead of next month’s tournament.
Counterfeiters are linked to organised crime, terrorism and modern slavery.
Lord Richard Walker of Broxton, who is executive chairman of Iceland, said many families were turning to fake kits because officially licensed ones were so expensive.
The Labour peer, who was made the Government’s Cost of Living Champion in February, said ministers should put pressure on the Football Association and kit makers to reduce their prices.
He told the House of Lords: “Many families are now being forced to turn to counterfeit kits because the official versions have become completely unaffordable.
“This raises serious issues not only of consumer protection because of poor quality but also the many investigations which have shown that the knock-off kits are produced in unregulated sweatshops where workers face severe exploitation.
“Therefore will she consider whether the Government should pressure both the FA and big brand manufacturers to work with them and develop clearer guidance and protocols on supply and profit margins?”
On the Football Association’s website England’s home, away and goalkeeper adult-sized shirts – made by Nike – are for sale for £89.99 ahead of the World Cup next month.
Scotland, who have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, have their home shirt for sale for £75. Clubs also came under fire from peers. Conservative Lord Ranger of Northwood said teams had become ‘nakedly commercialised’ with some now selling multiple shirts.
He said: “As a football fan and one with two small boys who I have to continually provide kits for, even if they are Spurs kits and the season hasn’t been the best, the problem we have is the naked commercialisation of clubs, when it comes not just to one kit, but to multiple kits, plastered with sponsors from multinational companies. “There is vast revenue coming in from these kits anyway.”
Conservative former minister Lord Vaizey of Didcot warned regulating the price of shirts to stop the counterfeit craze could set a dangerous precedent.
He said: “While I appreciate the sentiment of regulating sports shirts where does this end? We know the Government is apparently planning to regulate prices in supermarkets on eggs and milk. It’s been roundly condemned by retailers.
“Will it extend to season tickets? Sky Sports subscriptions? “It’s a dangerous road the minister is being invited to travel.”
Sports minister Baroness Twycross said the Government would not cap kit prices but ‘shared concerns over costs’.
“While we recognise and share concerns over costs, setting prices remains a matter for manufacturers and the respective football associations,” she said. We do encourage them, however, to ensure kits are affordable, particularly for children.”
Around 16.2 million counterfeit football shirts are sold in Britain annually at an average price of £11. The illicit market is worth an estimated £180m. Over 1.6 fake jerseys are in circulation for every legitimate club shirt sold.
A spokesman for brand protection expert Corsearch said: “Counterfeit merchandise is associated with poor working conditions, reduced customer safety as many are made from flammable material and are of low-quality.
“Clubs, their sponsors, advertisers and affiliated brands all suffer when associated with such unsafe products that often have connections to serious organized crime.
“Official England football shirts sold ahead of the 2024 Euros cost £85 per shirt.
“This led to skyrocketing demand for fake football shirts for a fraction of the price.
“In the months leading up to the 2024 Euros online searches for fake football shirts increased by a staggering 514% compared to the previous Euros in 2021.”