Cost-conscious Premier League supporters are driving a surge in counterfeit team jerseys as Christmas presents.
Recent data shows that fans conducted 48,510 online searches for counterfeit premier league merchandise from September to early December.
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In contrast, only 4,230 searches occurred from January to August, prior to the holiday shopping season.
The most sought-after counterfeit item was Manchester United jerseys, with 17,730 searches.
The official adult home jersey is priced at £80, while the children’s version costs £55; both are available for just £12 on counterfeit sites.
Footy Accumulators, a betting platform that analyzed these search trends, stated: “It’s disheartening to see clubs pricing out many loyal fans, forcing them to seek counterfeit options for Christmas gifts.”
“With inflation rising, a family of four wishing to buy new shirts would need to spend about £370 at official retailers, while counterfeit sites can offer them for around £50.”
“We hope that clubs across the UK consider these concerning statistics and strive to make merchandise more affordable in the future, thereby deterring fans from resorting to counterfeit alternatives.”
A surge of 191 percent in interest for Arsenal counterfeit jerseys was noted this year, jumping from 680 to 5,940 searches leading up to Christmas, making fake Gooners jerseys the second most popular.
Counterfeits of Newcastle ranked third with 4,830 searches, a striking 419 percent increase from earlier this year.
Tottenham Hotspur came fourth, with demand soaring from 440 to 3,750, reflecting an increase of 184 percent.
Liverpool trailed closely in fifth with a 169 percent boost, growing from 460 to 3,720 searches.
In sixth place, Manchester City reported 3,150 counterfeit searches, up from 420, representing a significant 150 percent rise.
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