The UK Customs Intellectual Property Enforcement Report 2021-2023
Published 18 November 2025
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Foreword
In the past three years, Border Force have seized counterfeit articles with a retail value exceeding half a billion pounds. This figure alone demonstrates the scale of the threat to our innovation economy from counterfeit goods, and Border Force’s integral role as a first line of defence in protecting the UK from IP crime.
Intellectual property rights give individuals and businesses the confidence to develop something new. They encourage us all to create and innovate, strengthening our economy and enriching our society. When people trust their ideas will be protected, creativity and innovation flourish.
But when criminals undermine these rights, this threatens the innovation that drives economic growth across the UK. Such criminal activity can damage market confidence, directly harming businesses of all sizes and threatening public safety.
This report underscores the shared commitment between the Intellectual Property Office, HM Revenue and Customs, and Border Force to protecting businesses, consumers and society from intellectual property crime. Covering UK border seizure activity from January 2021 to December 2023, it marks an important milestone in IP enforcement. The report establishes our new benchmark for transparent reporting on intellectual property enforcement under our customs framework.
Counterfeit trade operates across borders, often linked to organised crime groups. Strikingly, the data reveals how quickly these groups adapt to market conditions and consumer behaviour – from exploiting pandemic-related demand for medical products, to targeting fashion trends and major sporting events. Our response must be more coordinated and effective to outpace these threats.
Sharing these insights with our enforcement partners, rights holders and international counterparts strengthens our collective ability to combat this criminal activity. The findings reinforce the importance of coordinated action - recognising IP crime as both a global and local threat.
We are committed to publishing this data annually. This ensures our approach remains responsive to emerging threats and evolving criminal tactics. It provides enforcement bodies, brand owners and rights holders with valuable information to strengthen enforcement strategies and prioritise resources against the most significant challenges.
Effective action against counterfeit trade requires strong partnerships between industry, government and law enforcement. I would like to thank our colleagues at HMRC and Border Force, and our enforcement partners whose dedicated work makes this vital protection possible. This work helps to maintain the UK’s position as a global leader in innovation and uphold our world class system of intellectual property protection. By working together, we are not only disrupting criminals but also directly supporting the government’s mission to drive economic growth.
Together, we will continue building the UK’s reputation as a trusted destination for creativity and investment - a place where brilliant ideas are born, protected, and unleashed to thrive.
Adam Williams
Chief Executive and Comptroller-General
Acknowledgement
This report has been produced by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Border Force. The data is from the Protect Intellectual Property Rights (PIPR) system and covers the period January 2021 to December 2023.
The data is owned by HMRC.
Executive Summary
This report covers the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023. It is the first report on the United Kingdom’s (UK) customs enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) since leaving the European Union (EU).
The amount of suspected counterfeit articles seized varied over the three-year period. In 2021, over 3 million articles were seized. By 2023 this reduced to just over 1 million seized articles. Of those seizures, 95% were confirmed counterfeit in 2021 and 89% in 2023. Confirmed counterfeits were destroyed. The expected retail value of destroyed articles increased from £142 million in 2021 to over £200 million in 2023. This indicates a trend towards higher retail value articles in lower volumes.
The leading suspected counterfeit articles type changed between 2021 and 2022. In 2021, over 2 million suspected counterfeit medical articles were seized. Increased demand for medical articles during Covid-19 and supply chain disruptions provided counterfeiters with new opportunities to exploit. However, counterfeit clothing remained consistent during all three years. Following the influx of medical products in 2021, clothing was the top category of suspected counterfeit articles for the remaining two years.
Trade marks were the highest infringed single IPR, representing 93% of seized articles in 2021, 72% in 2022, and 74% in 2023. In 2021, this was due to the increase in detention of medical products, which masked other trends. The amount of multiple IPR infringing articles grew, from 1.5% in 2021 to 12.5% by 2023.
China, Hong Kong SAR and Türkiye, accounted for the majority of seizures during the three year period. This picture was also reflected in the EU Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG-TAXUD) reporting over the same timeframe.
Introduction
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Border Force have partnered to release this report on the enforcement of intellectual property rights. It presents the outcomes of detentions made under customs procedures at the United Kingdom (UK) borders from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023. After leaving the European Union (EU) on 31 December 2020, the UK remains committed to enforcing IPR.
Intellectual property rights drive innovation. They give individuals and businesses the assurance that the time, money, and effort they put into developing their ideas will be rewarded. Infringement of IPR puts this at risk. Consumers are also impacted with counterfeit articles often failing UK safety standards putting them at risk. The Counter-Infringement Strategy 2022-2027 sets out how the IPO safeguards IPR and makes the most impact through the enforcement system.
The IPO uses the Prevent, Protect, Prepare and Pursue (4Ps) delivery framework, to address serious and organised crime. The framework allows UK government organisations and law enforcement partners to coordinate their efforts and follow a consistent approach. This report forms part of the Pursue commitment.
This report presents data on the volume of seized articles, action taken, expected retail value of confirmed counterfeits, the provenance of the articles, and IPR infringement types. Detentions are recorded using four key metrics: individual articles, cases, procedures, and expected retail value. This report is based on individual articles that were suspected counterfeit and the expected retail value of confirmed counterfeits.
Overall Results: UK IPR Enforcement
The amount of suspected counterfeit articles seized from 2021 to 2023 varied. Over 3 million articles were detained in 2021. In 2022 there was a 71% decrease to under 900,000. The following year counterfeit seizures increased by 17% to over 1 million. The impact of Covid-19 can be seen in the 2021 figures, with medical articles accounting for two-thirds of the seizures.
Table 1: Summary of IPR Detentions by year
| Detention totals | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procedures | 7,060 | 4,805 | 4,392 |
| Cases | 5,221 | 2,429 | 2,070 |
| Articles | 3,099,653 | 891,611 | 1,042,886 |
Action on detained articles resulted in five outcomes: destruction, initiated court case, no reply, genuine goods, or rights holder inaction. Destruction was the main outcome from 2021 to 2023, with 95% of articles being destroyed in 2021, 86% in 2022 and 89% in 2023. These articles were confirmed as being counterfeit.
If there was no response or action from the rights holder, these items remained classified as suspected counterfeit. The total number of counterfeit articles would slightly increase if these two outcomes were included with the destruction figures. Furthermore, because the outcomes of court cases were not recorded, it remained unknown if those articles were confirmed counterfeit.
Table 2: Number of articles by outcome and year
| Decision | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destroyed | 2,931,763 | 767,352 | 929,802 |
| Initiated Court Case | 285 | 41,242 | 1,687 |
| No Reply | 39,895 | 6,646 | 29,601 |
| Not Fake | 125,791 | 48,495 | 41,471 |
| Rights Holder Inaction | 1,919 | 27,876 | 40,325 |
| Total | 3,099,653 | 891,611 | 1,042,886 |
Article Categories
What might appear to be a harmless bargain can easily impact the health and safety and privacy of the consumer. The range of articles in table 3 shows the variety being targeted for profit by criminals.
Criminals can rapidly adapt to evolving trends and market conditions. The impact of pandemic-related supply shortages can be seen in 2021. Medical products were the leading category in 2021 with over 2 million seizures of suspected counterfeits. However, the volume of counterfeit clothing remained consistent during all three years. Following the influx of medical products in 2021, clothing was the top category of suspected counterfeit articles.
IPO’s 2023 counterfeit articles research (wave 3) found cost to be the primary factor influencing counterfeit clothing purchases. Perceived quality is now at a level where some counterfeit articles are seen by consumers as being better value than originals. IPO, HMRC and Border Force also see increased demand for counterfeit football shirts during major sporting campaigns such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The ‘other’ category consistently featured within the top five categories in all three years. It includes articles such as packaging, vehicle parts and textiles (non-clothing).
Table 3: Suspected counterfeit article amounts by category and year
| Goods Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Care | 69,040 | 138,364 | 137,201 |
| CDs DVDs & Games | 1,105 | 2,417 | 8,892 |
| Clothing | 278,912 | 284,514 | 266,878 |
| Electrical Items | 45,937 | 63,386 | 27,334 |
| Medical Products | 2,004,438 | 0 | 400 |
| Mobile Phones | 129,069 | 86,865 | 202,799 |
| Other | 172,350 | 132,976 | 131,320 |
| Shoes | 17,783 | 17,339 | 38,478 |
| Tobacco | 300,089 | 90,200 | 181,398 |
| Toys | 80,930 | 74,750 | 39,466 |
| Food and Drink | 0 | 800 | 8,720 |
| Total | 3,099,653 | 891,611 | 1,042,886 |
In 2021, the expected retail value of destroyed counterfeit articles was over £142 million. This figure continued to rise over the next two years despite a decrease in seizures. By 2023 this had risen to just over £200 million, a difference of 41% when compared to 2021.
Table 4: Expected retail value by confirmed counterfeit articles category and year
| Goods Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Care | £1,640,689 | £4,498,161 | £9,247,863 |
| CDs DVDs & Games | £5,154 | £37,764 | £4,260 |
| Clothing | £77,848,772 | £111,683,517 | £157,516,674 |
| Electrical Items | £4,900,967 | £10,120,119 | £3,361,825 |
| Medical Products | £11,558,647 | £0 | £12,000 |
| Mobile Phones | £18,764,782 | £6,879,723 | £10,461,122 |
| Other | £12,421,106 | £26,415,892 | £11,565,958 |
| Shoes | £6,584,577 | £4,836,410 | £6,281,874 |
| Tobacco | £7,881,221 | £782,000 | £671,130 |
| Toys | £468,218 | £903,276 | £858,250 |
| Food and Drink | £0 | £0 | £117,833 |
| Total | £142,074,133 | £166,156,861 | £200,098,789 |
Intellectual Property Rights Infringement
Counterfeit articles can have either single or multiple IPR infringements. The largest single IPR infringement type was trade marks for all three years. In 2021 this accounted for 2,875,523 articles, 93% of the total seizure amount. It decreased to 72% in 2022 but rose to 74% in 2023. The influx in medical products caused this increase in trade mark infringements in 2021 which masked other trends.
Multiple IPR infringements accounted for 1.5% of seized counterfeit articles in 2021 (47,782 articles). In the following two years this figure increased to 12.5% by 2023 (130,534 articles). Over the three years there have been articles where it has not been possible to confirm the IPR infringement. In 2021 this accounted for 5% of the total suspected counterfeit articles. It increased to 14% in 2022 before dropping to 11% in 2023.
Table 5: Article count by Right type and year
| Right types | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copyright | 3,664 | 46,734 | 9,121 |
| Design | 4,399 | 4,140 | 14,878 |
| Patent | 0 | 0 | 450 |
| Trademark | 2,875,523 | 639,083 | 773,800 |
| Multiple IPR Infringements | 47,782 | 76,795 | 130,534 |
| Unknown | 168,285 | 124,859 | 114,103 |
| Total | 3,099,653 | 891,611 | 1,042,886 |
Provenance of the IPR-Infringing Articles
The UK faces challenges in enforcing IPR and stopping counterfeit goods. This is largely due to global supply chains that complicate tracking product authenticity and a growth in drop shipping. Counterfeit articles often cross several borders before arriving in the UK.
From 2021 to 2023 when looking at the provenance by expected retail value, China, Hong Kong SAR and Türkiye accounted for the majority of seizures. This trend was also noted in DG-TAXUD reports on EU intellectual property enforcement during the same period.
Table 6: Provenance of Counterfeit Articles
| Original Location | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHINA | £73,766,404 | £93,711,695 | £136,245,780 |
| HONG KONG SAR | £39,842,968 | £44,530,100 | £39,284,508 |
| TÜRKIYE | £12,886,942 | £22,039,509 | £12,042,862 |
| ALL OTHER | £13,008,348 | £5,875,557 | £9,961,339 |
| Total | £139,504,662 | £166,156,861 | £197,534,489 |
Co-operation between Rights Holders and Customs
Intellectual property rights holders can apply for protection against IPR infringements on UK imports and exports. The Application for Action (AFA) process requests Border Force to detain suspected counterfeit articles. Since 1 January 2021, IPR owners need to have two AFAs in place to cover the UK and the EU.
About the ‘ex officio Application for Action’
Where an AFA is not in place, Border Force seeks to identify the rights holders for the articles. If the rights holder requests destruction of the articles, an ‘ex officio Application for Action’ must be submitted within 4 working days. This applies to the package unless the rights holder specifies protection of their rights for one year when submitting the application.
The UK received 210 AFA requests (including ‘ex officio’ AFAs) in 2021, 207 in 2022, and 247 in 2023.
Conclusions
Counterfeit articles have a profound impact on the UK economy, leading to substantial financial losses for legitimate businesses. Moreover, the presence of counterfeit articles poses significant risks to consumer safety and brand integrity.
The range of article categories provides several key insights into the UK counterfeit market. Whilst clothing remained consistent, the increase in medical products in 2021 showed that criminal networks are quick to adapt to market demands and trends. The prominence of clothing suggested a continued high demand for fashion items. HMRC, IPO and Border Force have in the past seen an increase in counterfeit football shirts during major sporting events.
A consistent geographical pattern was seen in the provenance of counterfeits with China, Hong Kong SAR, and Türkiye. This picture was also reflected in DG-TAXUD reporting on EU intellectual property enforcement during the same period.
Since December 2021, rights holders have had to submit new AFAs directly to the UK. The amount of AFA requests remained steady during this reporting period.
In conclusion, this report highlights the persistent global issue of combating counterfeit articles. Its release demonstrates the United Kingdom’s ongoing dedication to strengthening intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement and protection. Initiatives targeting counterfeit articles are consistent with the UK’s goals of fostering economic growth, ensuring security, promoting social equity, and advancing environmental sustainability by disrupting illicit supply chains and safeguarding consumers.