ScentVerdict's analysis of 10 of Britain's most popular fragrances found that while originals cost between £89 and £310, dupe versions almost all sell for around £30, no matter the price of the original.
The biggest example is Creed Aventus, one of the UK's most sought-after men's fragrances. A 100ml bottle retails for £310, yet the median price of a comparable dupe is just £29 – more than 10 times cheaper. At the other end, Montblanc Explorer costs £89, while a typical dupe sells for £25, showing little change even when the original is far cheaper.
Why dupes stick to £30
Daniel Grimes, founder of ScentVerdict, said many shoppers assumed dupe brands simply undercut luxury labels by a percentage, but the data suggests otherwise. “That flat £30 is the story. The dupe houses aren't pricing against the original at all. They charge what someone will pay for a dupe, and it barely shifts whether they're copying an £89 Montblanc or a £310 Creed.”
“The saving isn't really a discount. It just tracks whatever the designer decided to charge.”
Smaller bottles follow the pattern
The pattern holds at smaller sizes. Across the fragrances analysed, 30ml dupes typically cost between £15 and £17, despite original prices ranging from £89 to £310. Mr Grimes said: “Look down the 30ml column and it's tighter still: £15 to £17, for originals ranging from £89 to £310. Trying one costs less than lunch.”
Creed Aventus is the most copied
The research also found Creed Aventus has become Britain's most copied fragrance, with 51 different fragrance houses producing their own interpretation. Across the 22 brands selling a 100ml version that could be compared, the typical price was £29. Mr Grimes added: “It's also the only one here you can't shop around for. Creed's distribution is tight enough that there's no UK discount channel, so £310 really is what you pay.”
When the original is the better buy
Consumers shouldn't automatically assume the dupe is always the better buy, however. Mr Grimes continued: “Montblanc Explorer is the opposite. £89 for the real thing, £25 for the dupe. You're saving £64 to not own it. Buy the Montblanc.”
He also noted that while some luxury fragrances rarely fall in price, many regularly go on sale, narrowing the gap. “It won't be identical, of course, and you're not buying Creed. Most originals go on sale too, even if Aventus never does. Eros has been down to around £64 recently, which quietly drops that 3.6x to about 2.4x.”
Retail prices for the designer fragrances were checked at John Lewis, Boots and The Perfume Shop on 17 July 2026, while dupe prices represent the median price charged across brands selling equivalent fragrances at each bottle size.
