Two thirds happy to buy designer rip-offs
Researchers say that up to two-thirds of us claim we are proud to buy fake goods
Is that Gucci bag you're carrying really a Gucci? How about that Cartier watch you're wearing?
If you've resorted to buying a fake to get your hands on that expensive designer label you crave, then you're not alone.
And a survey suggests that you'll be perfectly willing to admit that it's not the real thing.
Researchers say that up to two-thirds of us claim we are proud to buy fake goods - up 20 per cent on last year.
Even wealthier shoppers are cashing in on the cheaper versions and are happy to have them sitting next to genuine designer goods in their wardrobes. The market is now worth an astonishing ￡14billion each year, a 10 per cent increase on 2006.
Globally, the figure could be as high as ￡200billion. Most purchases are made at market stalls in Britain, but a large number are made abroad or come through Internet auction sites.
More than three million British adults bought fake luxury items last year. The most desirable brand was Louis Vuitton, followed by Gucci, Burberry, Tiffany, Prada, Hermes, Chanel, Dior, Yves St Laurent and Cartier.
Most popular items were clothing, then shoes, watches, leather goods and jewellery.
The market is not being fuelled solely by those unable to afford designer goods - one in five purchases was made by households earning more than ￡50,000 each year.
Purchases in India and the Far East rose by around half in the past year. There were also increases in China and Europe.
你手上拎的Gucci包是真品吗？你戴的卡迪亚表呢？
如果你为了拥有某个梦寐以求的名牌而买过假货，那你也不是个例外。
一项调查表明，你会很乐意地承认自己买的是假名牌。
据调查人员介绍，多达三分之二的人称买了假名牌也“光荣”，这一比例高于去年的20%。
即使是有钱人也开始买起了假名牌，而且将它们与真品“同等对待”。目前，假名牌市场的年收益高达140亿英镑，比去年增加了10%。
从全球来看，这一数字可能高达2000亿英镑。在英国，人们大多在市场的货摊上购买假名牌，但也有很多是在国外或拍卖网站上买的。
去年，英国共有300多万人购买假名牌。最受青睐的牌子是路易斯·维登，其次是古姿、柏帛丽、蒂凡尼、普拉达、赫尔墨斯、夏奈尔、迪奥、圣罗兰和卡迪亚。
最受欢迎的产品是服装，其次是鞋、表类、皮制品和珠宝。
这一市场的繁荣靠的不仅仅是那些买不起真名牌的人，其中五分之一的购买量是年收入超过5万英镑的家庭贡献的。
去年，印度和远东地区的假名牌购买量上涨了一半左右。中国和欧洲的购买量也有所增长。
Vocabulary:
get one's hands on: 把…弄到手 |
