Consumption. “Counterfeits 3.0”: Beauty companies warn of cosmetic “dupes”

"Stop everything! The same, but cheaper." A YouTuber is using a video with a catchy title to lure consumers into buying "dupes" (a term derived from the English word " duplicate "). These products are presented as equivalent to those of the brands, but at a lower price . Perfumes, makeup, skincare... The list of products concerned is long.

"They mimic the packaging, fragrance, and texture of branded products. But their formulation is very different. It's like comparing a frozen meal with one prepared by a top chef," laments Xavier Guéant, legal, economic, and international director of the Federation of Beauty Companies (Febea), who raised the alarm on this Wednesday, World Anti-Counterfeiting Day. The same approach was taken by the Union of Manufacturers for the International Protection of Intellectual Property (Unifab), which compares the "dupes" to "3.0 counterfeits, marketed by opportunistic counterfeiters whose close ties to organized crime are no longer in doubt," in a press release published this Wednesday.

Young people, prime targets

A mobilization against the rise of "dupes." According to a C-Ways study conducted for Febea in March 2025, nearly a third of French people have purchased at least one "dupe" in the last 12 months. Often manufactured in Asia or Turkey, they are sold on e-commerce platforms outside the European Union, but also in markets, at discount stores, by street vendors, etc. Lured by the price, young people are prime targets. Especially since influencer videos extolling the merits of "dupes" are legion .

If they are a hit, it is also because 96% of buyers have only a vague idea of ​​the risks involved, according to the survey. Because these products are not without risk to the health of users: "They are often manufactured outside of any regulatory framework for hygiene or quality control. They can use much less expensive ingredients, some of which may be toxic, or even substances banned in France. They do not always mention allergens on the label and do not list all the ingredients," assures Xavier Guéant. The risk of having a skin allergy after using them cannot therefore be ruled out. These products can also have misleading origins or certifications . The Rappel Conso website regularly publishes fact sheets on these products.

Not easy to counter the phenomenon

To combat this competition, which they consider unfair, Febea members "do not hesitate to attack manufacturers or resellers of 'dupes' either individually or collectively," says Xavier Guéant. But it's not always easy. Because 'dupes' are generally not considered counterfeits since they do not use the brand name or logo and rely on the strong resemblance. Furthermore, fragrance is not protected as a creative work.

The DGCCRF (General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Control) is also not standing still in the face of this commercial phenomenon. In 2024, it revealed that it had sanctioned several pharmacies that had "confused consumers between the standard perfumes sold by these pharmacies and perfumes from well-known brands," it stated in a press release. This was done via a cross-referencing table that allowed the properties of each perfume to be compared to those of a fragrance marketed by a major luxury brand. This sent a strong signal.