For retailers and brands
Dupe perfume wholesale: how to start, how to advertise cleanly
If you want to sell dupe fragrances there are three ways in: perfume oil to fill yourself, ready-mixed bulk perfume, or a perfume under your own brand. More important than the way in is the advertising, because that is where warning letters come from.
Three ways in.
| Way in | From quantity | What is included | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Way inPerfume oil to fill yourself | From quantityfrom a single unit | What is includedThe undiluted concentrate with fragrance pyramid and documents. You dilute, mature and fill yourself. | Perfume oils |
| Way inReady-mixed bulk perfume | From quantity500 ml or 1 l | What is includedOil and ethanol are mixed. You fill straight into your bottles and label them yourself. | Bulk perfume |
| Way inYour own brand | From quantityfrom 100 g to 500 pieces | What is includedFrom white-label oils to contract filling with label and carton. The quantities depend on the route. | The routes |
Advertising cleanly: what you leave out, what you do.
Courts have repeatedly objected to advertising that presents a product as a re-creation of a branded product, even when the original is only implied. The rules below are our reading of the common cases. They are not legal advice.
You leave out
- Names, logos or pictures of originals, also as search terms or hashtags
- Wording like 'smells like', 'similar to', 'alternative to' or 'inspired by' that points to a named original
- Lists or tables that set originals against your products
- Customer reviews that name originals: you are liable for them
- Bottles, boxes or names that look like the original
- Ads on brand names or with words such as replica or imitation
You do
- Describe the scent through notes and fragrance family
- Give every product its own name and its own look
- Point to documents and checks: safety data sheet, IFRA, allergens
- Moderate reviews and show none that name originals
- Leave the word dupe out of product texts, as we do. Use it at most on explainer pages.
- Have your texts checked by a qualified person before you publish
Basis, as of 14 October 2026: UWG section 6 (comparative advertising, para. 2 no. 6), UWG section 4 no. 3 (imitation), ECJ judgment of 18 June 2009, C-487/07 (comparison lists), Berlin Court of Appeal judgment of 10 July 2024, 5 U 92/22 (customer reviews).
Example
A product text without a reference to an original.
Example oil no. 0000, perfume oil
A warm, woody fragrance from the family Woody & Warm. Top notes of bergamot and cardamom open the scent, cedar and lavender carry the heart, amber and tonka bean give a soft base.
With safety data sheet, IFRA statement and allergen list. Sample of 5 g available.
The example is invented and shows only the structure: family, notes, documents. It is not a product of ours.
Under your brand, you carry the duties.
- Responsible personWhoever sells under their own name is the responsible person in the EU.
- Safety assessment (CPSR)Every cosmetic product needs one before it goes on sale.
- Notification (CPNP)The product is notified in the EU portal before it is sold.
- LabellingLabel details such as allergens and the responsible person are mandatory.
Questions
Five questions before you start.
What a dupe is and how to check quality is explained on our explainer page.
May I write the word dupe in my product texts?
We advise against it. Even without a name, advertising can become risky if customers can tell which original is meant. We use the word only on explainer pages and not in product texts. Ask a qualified person for your own case.
Do you tell me which oil matches which perfume?
No. We name no brands and no originals, not even on request. Choose by notes and fragrance family, with samples.
Who is liable for my texts and reviews?
You, as the seller. According to a decision of the Berlin Court of Appeal of 10 July 2024 this also applies to customer reviews that name originals. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can I advertise with dupe terms on Google Ads?
Google's counterfeit policy prohibits terms such as replica, imitation or knock-off tied to a brand name, and suspends accounts without warning on detection (policy read on 14 October 2026). Keep brand names out of keywords and ad texts and test generic terms carefully.
What minimum quantity do I need?
Perfume oil and bulk perfume from a single unit, white-label oils from 100 g, small runs under your brand from 20 units and contract filling from 500 units per fragrance. All routes at a glance.
Next step.
Tell us what you plan, then you get a fitting offer.
