Fake football merchandise worth over £200,000 'surrendered' by Stirling shop owner

Fake football merchandise worth more than £200,000 has been voluntarily surrendered to the council by a Stirling trader.

Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils’ Trading Standards Service launched an investigation into the business after receiving complaints about counterfeit football jerseys.

Expert witnesses of the brand holders found that the vast majority of the goods being offered for sale by the business, both in-store and online, were fake.

The items were voluntarily handed over by the business. The trader was issued a a written warning to comply with consumer legislation in the future.

Cllr Alasdair Tollemache, convener of Stirling Council’s Environment, Transport and Net Zero Committee, which oversees Trading Standards, said: “The sale of counterfeit goods including football merchandise is a serious offence and not a victimless crime. It destroys jobs, undermines the hard work of legitimate businesses and has links to serious criminal activities.

“Consumers buy these items with the belief they are genuine, but they are very often inferior in quality and may be unsafe.

“I would like to thank the officers involved in this operation for their dedication to protecting the public and the livelihoods of honest local businesses operating within the law.

“This action sends a clear message to those who engage in illegal trading in Stirling and Clackmannanshire – this will not be tolerated.”