Counterfeit goods worth tens of billions sold yearly in Czechia, analysis warns
According to a new analysis by the law firm Shubik & Partners, counterfeit products account for roughly 3.3% of the Czech retail market. It is not only fake fashion items, but also medicines, foodstuffs, car parts, batteries and electronics that may seriously endanger consumers’ health.
The analysis estimates that customers in Czechia spend at least CZK 28 billion a year on counterfeit goods. At the same time, the state loses around CZK 13.7 billion in tax revenues, nearly CZK 6 billion of which is lost VAT. Counterfeits are no longer limited to cheap products on marketplaces – they increasingly include medical devices, e-cigarette refills, medicines, food, vehicle spare parts and electronic products that do not comply with EU safety requirements.
Market surveillance authorities – including the Czech Trade Inspection Authority, food inspection, medicines agency and Customs Administration – can only intercept a fraction of the total volume. In 2024, the value of seized goods in criminal proceedings and inspections reached about CZK 523 million, mostly textiles and children’s products such as toys and games. Inspections at the SAPA marketplace in Prague between 2022 and 2025 revealed counterfeit goods in more than 97% of checked cases.
The authors of the analysis call for systemic measures: stronger responsibility of marketplace operators, better tracking of product origin and financial flows, and strict enforcement of EU product safety and labelling rules to limit the availability of dangerous counterfeit goods on the market.