Although duplications of popular or designer items may not be the original product, the appeal is quite real. Circana’s latest insights reveal that “dupes” are performing strongly, with 58% of shoppers reporting in 2026 that they have purchased a dupe.
Consumers have long sought offerings that look and feel like higher-end products, usually propelled by a desire to save money. Recent data shows that price may be an important driver in the current marketplace, but it’s not the only one; dupe brands are winning because they make it increasingly easy for people to buy their products online or in store and often leverage influencers and social media to help close quality perception gaps.
This shift — also evident with continued private label strength in food retailing — is impacting several categories, especially the fashion, footwear, and beauty sectors.
Cheaper Clothing Clones — or Something More?
Today’s consumers have a penchant for fashion dupes, even as inflation moderates from historic highs a few years ago. Well over half (54%) of consumers who bought a dupe said they did so in the apparel/clothing category, making that the top industry for such offerings.
Underscoring broader interest in apparel dupes, about half of consumers in households with annual incomes of $100,000+ say they have bought these kinds of products, a 14% increase from two years ago. That growing audience points to the different catalysts behind modern dupe demand in this category.
Other findings support that conclusion. In 2024, “saving money” was the main goal consumers cited when buying duplicate apparel products. The latest insights reveal that quality and convenience are top purchase drivers.
“Consumers feel the dupe item is just as good as the original, and the duped item is easier to buy and more convenient to buy than the original,” explains Kristen Classi-Zummo, Executive Director and Industry Advisor, Apparel, at Circana.
Best Foot Forward
Footwear is another category where dupes are coming on strong. Circana found that 39% of shoppers who purchased a dupe product opted for footwear.
Additional Circana data shows that the proverbial shoe is on both feet when it comes to balancing cachet and cost. The top three dollar-growth brands include one with an average price point well above $100 and another priced in the $20 range, with an assortment that includes dupes of the first brand.
“This data tells a fascinating story of what consumers are looking for and willing to spend on in today’s market,” says Circana’s Beth Goldstein, Executive Director and Industry Advisor, Footwear and Accessories. “Consumers love that they can get a look for less, and it’s a topic that’s gaining a lot of visibility on social media, too.”
The Beauty Bounce
Dupes are likewise performing well in beauty categories. A majority (51%) of beauty buyers have bought a beauty dupe, Circana research shows. Top beauty dupe categories include makeup (27%), skincare (27%), hair (18%), and fragrance (15%).
Here, too, price isn’t the only attraction. About 70% of consumers would intentionally buy a beauty dupe even if they could afford the original product, and only 14% of shoppers believe higher prices consistently indicate better quality.
The clamor for beauty products that mimic other items spans generations. The highest demand is coming from younger millennial and Gen Z buyers, with the 18-34 age group over-indexing compared to all other age demographics in favorability for dupes. That said, older consumers over the age of 55 contributed to the largest increase in dupe purchasing in 2026 compared to 2024.
Larissa Jensen, SVP and Global Beauty Industry Advisor at Circana, notes that beauty dupes have evolved from a budget alternative into a deliberate purchase choice. “Circana’s research shows that seven in 10 beauty consumers would intentionally buy a dupe even if they could afford the original, highlighting how value, accessibility, and social discovery are reshaping beauty purchase behavior. At the same time, prestige and luxury brands continue to grow, demonstrating that dupes can expand category engagement rather than simply replace the original,” she says.
So, what’s a brand facing stiffer competition from lookalikes or near-lookalikes to do to protect its position? Communicating the quality of the product and the strength of the name behind it puts the value of the original brand back at the center of the conversation, Circana’s experts agree.
Learn more about beauty trends
See what's happening in apparel
Understand the footwear market
