Experts estimate the annual damage in

lost sales

caused by

forged products

to be at around 50 billion euros in Germany alone. The European Union's customs authorities confiscated around

95 million forged products

valued at 2 billion euros in 2001, 40% more than the year before with an ever increasing trend. According to the EU, the industries' estimated losses in 2005 now account for as much as almost 10% of the world trade value, costing the legal brand owners billions of euros.

What can be faked

will be faked in the future at a dramatic rate.