Consumer trust is the cornerstone of a strong brand

Insights|August 21, 2025

The trust of the consumers is one of the most valuable assets a brand can have. It grows through consistent quality, honesty, and positive customer experiences. Without trust, sustainable customer relationships cannot flourish – and losing it can be devastating for any business.

Markku Tuominen, Partner at Roschier, emphasizes that when consumer trust is shaken, for example by counterfeit products, the consequences can be severe. Reputation is often the first to suffer: a customer who receives a poor-quality counterfeit product feels disappointed and may blame the brand itself, especially if the fake is convincing. Fraudulent websites promising unrealistic discounts further erode credibility and leave consumers frustrated, often directing their anger toward the brand owner.

The many faces of harm

Reputational damage: Consumers often cannot tell the difference between genuine and counterfeit products. When the poor quality of a fake becomes evident, whether immediately or after use, the brand’s image suffers in the eyes of the consumer.

Financial losses: Counterfeits inevitably eat into legitimate sales. Beyond lost revenue, reputational damage diminishes the brand’s long-term financial value. A weakened brand can have far-reaching consequences for profitability and growth.

Broken customer relationships: Trust is central to loyalty. A disappointed customer rarely returns, nor do they recommend the brand to others. If trust is lost due to counterfeit goods or other intellectual property infringements, the setback to customer relationships can be lasting.

The difficulty of rebuilding trust: While consumer trust can be lost in an instant, regaining it can take years – and in highly competitive markets, it may never fully recover. With alternatives readily available, customers are less willing to give second chances.

Protecting trust through legal safeguards

For these reasons, brand owners must ensure that their legal protection, such as trademarks, copyrights, and design rights, is robust and aligned with their business. Effective protection provides the tools to act against counterfeits, fraudulent websites, and other infringements.

Ultimately, safeguarding consumer trust is one of the strongest arguments for proactive intellectual property protection. As Tuominen notes, this requires active effort from brand owners – but the reward is a stronger, more resilient brand that supports long-term business success.

Helsingin Sanomat explored this issue in its August 17, 2025 article Väärää krääsää (“Fake stuff”).

The article is available for subscribers here (in Finnish).

Read more insights from our Brand Protection team:

Protecting your brand: trademark rights and enforcement

Copyright in the Applied Arts: Safeguarding creative value

The importance of legal protection for brand value

Design rights made simple: protecting product look and feel in the EU