World Cup fever in Argentina, home of the defending champions, has boosted sales of counterfeit football shirts and stickers, sparking protests from retailers already under pressure from President Javier Milei’s market-opening policies.
The main shopping streets of Buenos Aires are full of hats, flags, mate gourds and t-shirts in light blue and white patriotic colors.
Argentina’s victory in the 2022 World Cup “makes even those who don’t like football feel this passion,” said Fabián Castillo, president of the Buenos Aires Chamber of Commerce.
But he suspects that more than 70% of the Argentine national team shirts sold on the streets are counterfeit. Around the world, many consumers say they consciously buy cheap imitations due to the often high prices of official shirts.
This is particularly common in Argentina, where residents’ purchasing power has declined as salaries have not kept up with inflation. The sale of counterfeit products exacerbates other challenges facing the local textile industry, which has seen factories close due to the rise in cheap imports during the Milei government.
Lucas Aranda, a fabric merchant in the province of Buenos Aires, sells national team shirts for 40,000 pesos (US$28) each, about a quarter of the price of the originals.
Counterfeits have also spread to the popular football stickers that children — and many adults — collect to complete their World Cup albums. While the originals can be found in convenience stores, cheaper “alternatives” are offered online.
The World Cup starts next month, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Argentina’s first match will be against Algeria, on June 16th.
