The UK's outdated copyright laws need to be reformed before they lose all credibility, a consumer watchdog has said.

A study by Consumer Focus found three quarters of consumers (73%) do not know what they are legally allowed to copy or record.

Fewer than one in five (17%) knew it was illegal to copy a CD or DVD they had bought on to a computer for their own use, and even fewer (15%) knew it was illegal to copy them to an iPod, the poll found.

Nearly four in 10 (38%) of those using either an iPod or MP3 admitted to copying CDs on to their player.

Most copyright law was written before digital technologies existed, but the pervasiveness of the new gadgets meant the laws now affected millions of UK consumers, the watchdog said.

It found 80% of consumers thought copyright law should be updated to encompass digital technology, with slightly more (82%) keen to see reforms striking a fair balance between the interests of consumers and artists.

Consumer Focus international director Jill Johnstone said: "The credibility of UK copyright law has fallen through the floor. Millions of consumers are regularly copying CDs or DVDs and are unaware they are breaching copyright law."

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