Consumer protection and consumer rights in...

Flash Eurobarometer

This survey was requested by the EC Directorate-General SANCO, Health and Consumer

Protection and coordinated by Directorate-General “Communication”.

This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission.

The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors.

European

Commission

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Flash Eurobarometer

Consumer protection and

consumer rights in Bulgaria

Wave 2

Analytical Report

Fieldwork: March 2010

Publication: May 2010

European

Commission

Flash EB Series #275

Consumer protection and consumer

rights in Bulgaria

Survey conducted by The Gallup Organization, Hungary upon the request of the

European Commission, Directorate-General “Health and Consumer

Protection”

Coordinated by Directorate-General Communication

This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission.

The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors.

THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION

Flash EB No 275- Consumer protection and consumer rights (BG - wave 2) Analytical Report

page 3

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Main findings ......................................................................................................................................... 5

1. The information campaign ................................................................................................................. 7

1.1 Campaign awareness .................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Media channels ........................................................................................................................... 10 1.3 Evaluation of the information campaign .................................................................................... 11

2. Information sources about consumer rights ...................................................................................... 12

2.1 Methods of seeking information about consumer rights ............................................................ 12 2.2 Information or advice in case of problems ................................................................................. 13

3. Consumer rights institutions, organisations and associations ........................................................... 15

3.2 Trust in consumer rights bodies ................................................................................................. 17 3.3 Use of information or help from consumer rights bodies ........................................................... 18

4. Support for an independent consumer organisation and a dedicated magazine and website ........... 19

4.1 A consumer rights magazine and website .................................................................................. 19 4.2 Funding an independent consumer organisation ........................................................................ 20

5. Protection of consumer rights in Bulgaria ........................................................................................ 22

Annex tables ......................................................................................................................................... 25

Survey details ....................................................................................................................................... 56

Questionnaire ........................................................................................................................................ 58

Analytical Report Flash EB No 275- Consumer protection and consumer rights (BG - wave 2)

page 4

Introduction

This report is the second wave of a survey relating to an EU information campaign about consumer

rights in Bulgaria. The campaign is an EU initiative to empower Bulgarian citizens in this area and

make consumer rights work for them in practice. It was launched on the 21 January 2010 and will run

until the end of that year. The main themes of the campaign cover consumer rights in case of faulty

products, consumer credit and package holidays; these themes are/will be promoted in advertising on

TV, the Internet and in the printed press, and through public and media relations activities.

The first wave of the survey, conducted in September 2009, was carried out before the launch of the

campaign. It aimed to assess 21-45 year-old Bulgarians’ attitudes and knowledge about consumer

rights and consumer associations and institutions. Interviewees were, for example, asked about:

how well informed they felt about their consumer rights

which domains they wanted to know more about

their awareness and assessment of the organisations that provided advice and help on these

rights

their trust in consumer rights organisations

how well they felt protected as consumers in Bulgaria

their willingness to support independent consumer organisations.

In order to track the campaign’s impact on the attitudes of 21-45 year-old Bulgarians, this second

wave of the survey was conducted shortly after the first part of the TV advertising campaign, which

lasted from 20 January to 7 March, 2010. The second wave covered most of the first one’s topics and

additionally included questions to measure awareness and effectiveness of the information campaign.

Wherever the same question was asked in both waves of the survey, this report compares the

respective results.

Besides the overall findings for 21 to 45 year-old respondents in Bulgaria, the current results were also

analysed according to further socio-demographic characteristics: age, gender, level of education and

subjective urbanisation. The latter refers to whether respondents lived in a metropolitan, urban or rural

zone.

The different educational levels have been divided into those who finished their full-time education by

the age of 15 (the lowest educational level), between the ages of 16 and 20 (an average level of

education) or when they were aged 21 or older (the highest level of education). As the number of

respondents with the lowest educational level participating in the survey was low (n=55, unweighted

number), results for this groups have to be treated with caution, especially where questions were only

presented to a subgroup of respondents. That low number is explained by the survey targeting 21 to 45

year-olds; people who left school by the age of 15 tend to be older than this group.

Where the report compares individual country results between groups of respondents and survey

waves, it only discusses differences statistically significant at the 0.05 level. As mentioned above,

some questions in this survey were only presented to a sub-group of respondents (e.g. only those who

had actually contacted a consumer rights body); as a result, the sample size per question could be very

small and a socio-demographic analysis would not be possible. If they were mentioned, the results

should be treated with caution.

The fieldwork of the second wave of the survey took place between 24 and 28 March 2010. Just over

a thousand (1,001) randomly selected citizens aged between 21 and 45 were interviewed in Bulgaria.

The interviews were carried out by telephone. To correct for sampling disparities, a post-stratification

weighting of the results was implemented based on important socio-demographic variables.


page 5

Main findings

Awareness of the information campaign on consumer rights in Bulgaria

Slightly more than 4 in 10 Bulgarians said they had seen or heard messages about consumer

rights in the weeks prior to the survey (43%).

Of those respondents who were aware of the campaign, a relative majority said they

remembered messages about consumer rights in general (also 43%). About one in seven

(15%) could cite the exact slogan “In the EU you have consumer rights! Stand up for

them!”

Those respondents who were not aware of the campaign or who could not cite the slogan were

prompted with the different types of campaign messages. Summarising the results of those

survey participants who said they had heard about any of the respective messages, it can be

seen that two-thirds of Bulgarian respondents were familiar with at least one specific

message of the consumer rights information campaign (67%).

The overwhelming majority of those who remembered the campaign’s messages said

they had seen them on television (86%). Other information channels, like the Internet (12%),

radio, newspapers and magazines (all 7%) were mentioned far less frequently.

The information campaign on consumer rights was well received by Bulgarians:

o Two-thirds of respondents who were familiar with any of the messages about

consumer rights felt that the campaign was useful.

o A majority of interviewees agreed that the messages were easy to understand (78%),

easy to remember (76%) and convincing (63%)

Information sources about consumer rights

Both in the current (March 2010) and the previous wave (September 2009), browsing the

Internet (44%; 48%) and making phone calls (25%; 29%) were by far the most popular

ways of searching for information about consumer rights for survey participants.

The Internet was also most often mentioned when respondents were asked who they would

turn to for more information or advice when they actually had a problem with a faulty product,

service or with a seller/shopkeeper (24%). Smaller numbers said they would turn to the

Bulgarian National Consumer Association “Aktivni Potrebiteli”, or call the government's

consumer hotline 0 700 111 22 (both 7%).

Consumer rights institutions, organisations and associations

The best known, most trusted and most often contacted consumer rights body in

Bulgaria was the Commission on Consumer Protection:

o More than 84% were familiar with the Commission and its name was given

spontaneously by almost 4 in 10 respondents, when they were asked which consumer

rights body they knew in Bulgaria.

o When prompted with different consumer rights bodies and asked which one they

would trust to provide correct information or advice about consumer rights, the

Commission on Consumer Protection was the one most often chosen (32%).

o 83% of interviewed Bulgarians who had consulted a consumer rights body had

contacted the Commission.


page 6

14%1 of respondents mentioned at least one Bulgarian consumer association when asked

which consumer rights body they knew in Bulgaria: 5% referred to the Bulgarian National

Consumer Association “Aktivni Potrebiteli”, 6% mentioned a local or regional consumer

association and 5% cited a national consumer association. After being prompted, Aktivni

Potrebiteli was familiar to a quarter of respondents in total and a local or regional consumer

association was recognised by a third of respondents.

Compared to the previous wave, respondents were generally less likely to spontaneously

provide the name of any of Bulgaria’s consumer rights bodies (51%) and more likely to

say they did not know any of those bodies or to not give an answer (49%; an increase of 13

percentage points). In particular, the Commission on Consumer Protection (decrease of 14

points), the Government and relevant ministries (decrease of 11 points), friends and relatives,

and lawyers (for both a decrease of 10 points) were less frequently cited. Consumer rights

associations such as Aktivni Potrebiteli however, saw no significant changes in spontaneous

mentions.

Support for an independent consumer organisation and a dedicated magazine and website

Nearly 6 in 10 respondents would be interested in the creation of an independent

consumer rights website (58%) and 44% expressed their interest in a dedicated

magazine on that subject. The interest in a consumer rights magazine has substantially

decreased since September 2009 (decrease of 13 percentage points), particularly among older

respondents (decrease of 17 points).

Being presented with a choice of different subscription and payment methods for a dedicated

consumer rights magazine or website, most respondents would prefer to pay 12 leva for a

one-year period of access to the test results published on the website

www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg (35%) or buy single issues of the magazines at a kiosk for 3 leva

(31%).

About 4 in 10 of interviewed Bulgarians were ready to give financial support to an

independent consumer rights organisation (42%). Making a one-off donation or a payment

via their taxes were more popular options than paying an annual membership fee to such an

organisation and getting information and help on consumer rights in return. These figures were

similar to those seen in the previous survey wave.

Protection of consumer rights in Bulgaria

A large majority of Bulgarians remained negative about the level of consumer protection in their

country compared to other EU Member States and of the efficiency of the country’s legal system in

the field of consumer protection:

o 73% of respondents thought that consumers in Bulgaria were less protected than

consumers elsewhere in the EU (increase of 1 percentage point compared to 2009).

o 84% felt that Bulgarian shopkeepers and service providers respected consumer rights less

than their counterparts in other EU Member States (increase of 2 points).

o 79% felt that the Bulgarian justice system was not efficient in punishing businesses that

misled or cheated their customers (decrease of 2 points).

1 The single mentions add up to 16% in total; the 14% refers to those respondents who mentioned at least one consumer association

spontaneously.


page 7

1. The information campaign

Interviewees were asked whether they were aware of the information campaign, which messages they

remembered and in which media channel they had seen or heard the respective messages.

1.1 Campaign awareness

Slightly more than 4 in 10 Bulgarians said they had seen or heard messages about consumer

rights in the weeks prior to the survey (43%), while 56% had not. The 36-45 year-old respondents

were considerably more likely to be aware of the campaign than 21-35 year-olds (49% vs. 39%).

BG

Awareness of messages over the past weeks about consumer rights, %

Q1a. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard messages about consumer rights?Base: all respondents

43

56

1

Total sample

39

60

1

4949

2

21-35 year-olds 36-45 year-olds

NoYes DK/NA

Those respondents who said they remembered messages about consumer rights in the weeks prior to

the survey were further asked whether they could spontaneously describe the content of any of the

messages that they had seen or heard.

Of those respondents who were aware of the campaign, a relative majority said they

remembered messages about consumer rights in general (also 43%). About one in seven (15%)

could cite the exact slogan “In the EU you have consumer rights! Stand up for them!” Roughly

one in five respondents said the messages were about consumer rights related to problems they could

have when returning mobile phones for repair (19%). Messages about problems with consumer credits

(11%), with holiday packages and stays in hotels (10%) and about “cheating consumers” (9%) were

mentioned by approximately 1 in 10 of interviewees. Six percent of respondents said the messages

were about consumers not knowing their rights and the same proportion (6%) mentioned “other”

messages. About 1 in 10 (11%) said they could not recall the detail of any of the messages.2

Older respondents were far more likely than younger ones to say that the messages they

remembered were about consumer rights in general (49% vs. 38%). On the other hand, the 21-35

year-olds remembered more often that the campaign was about mobile phones (22% vs. 16%) or

holiday packages (11% vs. 8%) than the 36-45 year-olds.

2 The following chart distinguishes between the mentions of campaign topics such as “mobile phone repair”, problems with “holiday

packages and hotels” and “consumer credit” according to whether respondents only mentioned the topic or stated that the campaign was about consumer rights in one of those specific situations. For example, the 19% of respondents who said that the messages they remembered

related to problems with mobile phones include 11% who said that the messages were about consumer rights when having problems with

mobile phones and 8% who said that they were about mobile phones with no mention of consumer rights.


page 8

49

13

11

10

5

6

7

7

4

4

6

10

about consumer rights - in general

exact slogan 'In EU, you have consumer rights! Stand up for them!'

about consumer rights and mobile phones repair

about cheating consumer

about mobile phone repair - not mentioned consumer rights

about consumer rights and credit, banks

about people not knowing their rights as consumer in BG

about consumer credit - not mentioned consumer rights

about consumer rights and holiday packages, hotel

about holiday packages, hotel - not mentioned consumer rights

other

DK/NA

38

15

12

9

10

7

5

4

6

5

6

12


exact slogan 'In EU, you have consumer rights! Stand up for them!'


about cheating consumer







other

DK/NA

43

15

11

9

8

6

6

5

5

5

6

11


exact slogan 'In the EU, you have consumer rights! Stand up for them!'


about cheating consumers







other

DK/NA

BG

The messages that respondents have seen/heard, % of mentions

Q1a_a. Can you please tell me what this/these message/s was/were?Base: who have seen/heard over the past weeks messages about consumer rights

Total 36-45 year-olds21-35 year-olds

As a next step, those respondents who could not spontaneously name the campaign slogan were asked

whether they remembered messages about standing up for their consumer rights, not let sellers,

shopkeepers and service providers glide you from the slide, make you into a monkey, send you for

green caviar”3

A majority of those respondents recalled the slogan and the associated idioms after they were

presented to them (54%), while 43% could not. There were no significant differences in responses

between the two age groups.

BG

Awareness of advertisements/news articles saying that respondents should stand up for their consumer rights, %

Q1b. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisements/news articles saying that you should stand up for your consumer rights, not let them glide you from the slide, make you into a monkey, send you for green caviar?

Base: who were not aware of messages about consumer rights (in Q1a) and who did not mention the slogan ‘In the European Union, you have consumer rights! Stand up them!” (in Q1a_a)

5443

2

Total

5444

2

56

41

3


NoYes DK/NA

Those respondents who were not familiar with the message “In the EU you have consumer rights!

Stand up for them!” (neither prompted nor unprompted) or who gave a “don’t know” answer to the

previous question (n=427) 4

were further asked whether they had seen or heard advertisements,

messages or any information about their consumer rights when returning faulty mobile phones, when

complaining about holiday packages or hotels or when taking out credit in the weeks prior to the

3 These are literal translations of Bulgarian sayings that served to illustrate and enhance the campaign’s messages. They all warn consumers

that they should know their rights in order to avoid being cheated and being made to look foolish. 4 (unfamiliar with slogan: 43%, don’t know: 2%)


page 9

survey. A large majority of those respondents had not seen or heard these kinds of messages

(84%), while approximately 1 in 10 had done so (12%). There were no significant differences

between the two age groups.

BG

Awareness of messages about consumer rights regarding the return of faulty mobile phones, problems with package holidays/hotels or taking out consumer credit, %

Q1c. Have you, over the past weeks, seen/heard advertisements, messages, information about consumer rights regarding the return of faulty mobile phones, problems with package holidays/hotels or taking out consumer credit?

Base: who were not aware or any advertisements/news articels about consumer rights (in Q1a and Q1b) and who did not mention the exact slogan ‘In the EU, you have consumer rights! Stand up for them!’ (in Q1a_a)

12

84

5

Total

12

84

412

82

6


NoYes DK/NA

As a last step, the remaining survey participants who were neither familiar with the slogan

(unprompted or prompted) and its associated idioms nor with messages about their consumer rights

that existed when returning mobile phones, taking out credit or when complaining about holiday

packages or hotels (5%, n=50) were further asked whether they had seen or heard, in the weeks prior

to the survey, ads or news articles about consumers knowing their rights and therefore not being

cheated. Roughly two-thirds (32 respondents, 64%) said they had not, while 17% could recall them (8

respondents) and 20% (10 interviewees) said they would not know or gave no answer. Once again, the

differences between the age groups were not significant.

BG

Awareness of ads/news articles about consumers knowing their rights and how to avoid not being cheated, %

Q1d. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisements/news articles about consumers knowing their rights not being cheated?

Base: who have seen/heard over the past weeks advertisements about consumer rights regarding returning mobile phones, holiday packages and hotels or consumer credit

17

64

20

Total

17

64

19 16

62

22


NoYes DK/NA

When the answers to the questions about whether respondents had seen or heard messages:

about consumer rights (Q1a)

saying that people should stand up for their consumer rights, not let them glide you from the

slide, make you into monkey, send you for green caviar (Q1b)

about consumer rights that existed when returning mobile phones, when taking out credit,

when complaining about holiday packages or hotels (Q1c)

about consumers knowing their rights and therefore not being cheated (Q1d)

were combined, it could be seen that two-thirds of Bulgarian respondents were familiar with at

least one specific message of the consumer rights information campaign (67%).


page 10

Overall, 36-45 year-olds were slightly more familiar with the campaign messages than 21-35 year olds

(70% vs. 66%).

BG

Awareness of any kind of messages, %(about using consumer rights, about returning faulty mobile phones, problems with package holidays/hotels or taking out consumer credit)

Q1a. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard messages about consumer rights? / Q1b. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisements/news articles saying that you should use your consumer rights, not let them

glide you from the slide, make you into monkey, send you for green caviar? / Q1c. Have you, over the past weeks, seen/heard advertisements, messages, information about consumer rights regarding the return of

faulty mobile phones, problems with package holidays/hotels or taking out consumer credit?Base: all respondents

67

33

Total sample

66

34

70

30

0


Other answerAwareness of any message

A socio-demographic analysis showed that, in general, the most educated respondents, those living in

a metropolitan zone, employees and the self-employed were more likely to say they had seen or heard

messages concerning consumer rights in the weeks prior to the survey or spontaneously said that the

messages they had seen or heard were about consumer rights in general. For example, 52% of

employees and 53% of the self employed had seen or heard messages about consumer rights (Q1a),

compared to 39% of manual workers and 34% of those not working.

Although women were only slightly (statistically not significantly) more likely to be familiar with the

messages, they were distinctively more liable to say that they had seen ads and news articles saying

that respondents should stand up for their consumer rights (59% vs. 50% of men).

For further details, see Annex tables 1-5.

1.2 Media channels

Interviewees who were aware of one or more messages relating to the consumer rights information

campaign5 were asked how they had become aware of the campaign, i.e. via which channels.

The overwhelming majority of those who remembered the campaign’s messages said they had

seen them on television (86%). Other information channels were mentioned far less frequently:

messages had been seen over the Internet by 12% of respondents, 7% of Bulgarians had heard them on

the radio and a similar number had read about them in newspapers and magazines. Other sources of

information about the campaign were social networks (family, friends, etc., 5%), brochures and

leaflets (2%) and “other” sources (1%). Three percent said they did not know or would not say where

they had seen or heard the messages.

The television and the printed press were somewhat more frequently cited by 36-45 year-olds (88%

and 9%, respectively, vs. 84% and 4%, respectively, of 21-35 year-olds). The two age groups had

virtually no differences in their responses about the other information channels.

5 This is the combined total of respondents who were aware of any of the campaign messages mentioned in questions 1a to 1d, i.e. 67% of the

total survey participants.


page 11

88

12

7

9

5

2

1

2

TV

Internet

Radio

Newspaper/magazine

Family, friends, colleagues

Brochure/leafet

Other

DK/NA

84

12

7

4

4

2

1

4

TV

Internet

Radio

Newspaper/magazine


Brochure/leafet

Other

DK/NA

86

12

7

7

5

2

1

3

TV

Internet

Radio

Newspaper/magazine


Brochure/leafet

Other

DK/NA

BG

How messages about the consumer rights were seen/heard by respondents, % of mentions

Q2. Where did you see/hear this/these messages about consumer rights?Base: who are aware any kind of advertisment, messages or information about consumer rights

Total sample 36-45 year-olds21-35 year-olds

Television was more often named by women, respondents living in an urban area, manual workers and

those currently not working. For example, 89% of urban dwellers mentioned the television, compared

to 84% of those living in a rural area and 77% of those from a metropolitan area. Respondents who

had seen the campaign on the Internet were mostly highly educated and living in a metropolitan area.

(For further details, see annex table 6).

1.3 Evaluation of the information campaign

Eight in 10 of Bulgarians who were familiar with any of the messages about consumer rights

gave a positive assessment of the information campaign: two-thirds of those respondents felt that

the campaign was useful for them and 14% said it was very useful. Roughly one in seven (14%) were

not convinced by the campaign’s virtues, as 1 in 10 said it was not useful and 4% thought that it was

not useful at all. Six percent of those who were familiar with the messages did not form an opinion

about the campaign.

Respondents from the younger age group were somewhat more likely to think that it was a useful

campaign (68% vs. 64% of 36-45 year-olds) and less liable to think otherwise (8% vs. 13% of 36-45

year-olds). Concerning the more extreme answers very useful and not useful at all, however, the

responses of the two age groups barely differed.

BG

Usefulness of the information gained during the consumer rights campaign, %

Q3a. Did you find the information you have received through these messages/this information campaign?Base: who are aware any kind of advertisment, messages or information about consumer rights

14

66

10

46

Total

13

68

8

47 14

64

13

45


Very useful Useful Not useful DK/NANot useful at all


page 12

Employees and those with the highest level of education were slightly more likely to consider the

campaign to be useful or very useful than their respective counterparts. For further details, see annex

table 7.

Asked more specifically about the merits of the campaign’s messages about consumer rights

concerning the repair of faulty goods, when complaining about holiday packages and hotels or rights

when taking out credit, a majority of respondents were positive. Almost 8 in 10 survey participants

agreed that the messages were easy to understand (78%), three-quarters felt they were easy to

remember (76%) and just under two-thirds considered them to be convincing (63%); between

17% and 28% (depending on the statement) disagreed.

78

71

60

19

22

30

easy to understand

easy to remember

convincing

78

79

64

16

14

26

easy to understand

easy to remember

convincing

BG

Evaluation of the messages about the consumer rights, %

Q3. Did you find the information about your rights as a consumer in regard to the repair of faulty goods, problems with package holidays and consumer credit, provided through the campaign on consumer rights to be….

Base: who are aware any kind of advertisment

78

76

63

17

17

28

easy to understand

easy to remember

convincing

DisagreeAgree

Total sample 21-35 year-olds 36-45 year-olds

Younger respondents were more appreciative of the campaign’s messages than members of the

older age group. Indeed, while there were no differences in opinion about the messages being easy to

understand (both groups, 78%), 21-35 year-olds were more likely to say the messages were easy to

remember and were convincing than 36-45 year-olds (79% vs. 71% and 64% vs. 60%, respectively).

Moreover, older respondents were somewhat more likely to disagree with all of the statements (3, 8

and 4 percentage point differences).

Between the other socio-demographic groups, only a few significant differences were found. For

example, women were more liable to say that the campaign’s messages were easy to remember (78%

vs. 73% of men) and convincing (67% vs. 58% of men). For further details, see annex tables 8-10.

2. Information sources about consumer rights

Respondents were asked which sources they would use if they needed information or advice about

consumer rights or to whom they would turn to in case they had problems with faulty goods or

services. As those questions were asked in the previous wave in the same or a similar way, the current

results could be – with some limitations - compared to those of the previous wave.6

2.1 Methods of seeking information about consumer rights

In both waves of the survey, browsing the Internet and making phone calls were by far the most

popular ways that survey participants had for searching for information about consumer rights.

6 The question on how respondents would try to find information and advice about consumer rights was asked slightly differently in the two

waves of the survey. In March 2010, respondents only had the possibility to mention one source of information; in September 2009, however, they had been asked to describe their first and their second most important sources. Despite this difference, by taking the first choice

mentioned in September 2009 as the most important source of information (“top of mind”), then the current results could, with some caution,

be compared to the first chloice mentioned in 2009.


page 13

Results of the current wave showed that 44% of Bulgarians would look up information on the Internet

and a quarter would use the phone. In September 2009, nearly half of the respondents mentioned the

Internet (48%), and 29% referred to the telephone as their prime source of information about consumer

rights.

The website www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg was far more frequently mentioned as an information source in

the current wave than the one it replaced - www.bnap.org - in the earlier wave (7% vs. 2%).7

The choices of writing an e-mail or sending a letter, to get information about consumer rights, were

mentioned in both waves by 2%-3% of survey participants; roughly 1 in 10 respondents said they did

not know which sources they would use or gave no answer (2010: 11%, 2009: 8%).

Younger respondents were more likely to use the Internet as an information source than older ones,

while the latter were more likely to pick up the phone to become more informed about their rights as

consumers than the former. For example, 47% of 21-35 year-olds would browse the Internet and only

21% would use the phone compared to 40% (Internet) and 31% (phone) of 36-45 year-olds. Moreover,

younger participants were more likely to mention the dedicated website (8% vs. 4% of 36-45 year-

olds). Compared to the previous wave, 21-35 year-olds were less likely to give an answer and more

likely to say they would not know how they would find information on consumer rights (11%, an

increase of 4 percentage points).

Search on the web

By phone

Go to www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg/ Go to www.bnap.org

Write e-mail

Send letter

Other

DK/NA

44

25

7

3

2

8

11

48

29

2

2

3

9

8

BG

Main ways that respondents would find information on consumer rights, %

2010: Q5. How would you try to find information and advice about consumer rights?2009: Q2. How would you try to find information and advice about consumer rights firstly? Than secondly?

Base: all respondents


03/2010

09/2009 – first

mentions only

47

21

8

4

2

8

11

52

27

3

2

2

8

7

40

31

4

2

2

9

11

41

33

2

2

3

10

9

Respondents with the lowest level of education and those living in rural areas were most likely to use

the phone to become more informed; browsing the Web was the most common strategy among city-

dwellers and the most educated respondents. Moreover, women, the self-employed and employees

were more likely than their counterparts to look for information on the Internet. For example, nearly

half of female respondents mentioned the Internet (48%), compared to only 4 in 10 men. For further

details, see annex table 12.

2.2 Information or advice in case of problems

Asked to spontaneously say where they would turn to for more information or advice when they

actually had a problem with a faulty product, a service or a seller, most respondents said they would

search for more information on the Internet (24%). About one in six (17%) said they would go

back to the shopkeeper or service provider to see how the problem might be solved.

7 The Bulgarian National Consumer Organisation was renamed as “Aktivni Potrebiteli” (“Active Consumers”) between the two survey

waves.

http://www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg/

http://www.bnap.org/


page 14

Smaller numbers said they would turn to the Bulgarian National Consumer Association “Aktivni

Potrebiteli”, call the Government’s consumer hotline 0 700 111 22 (both 7%) or consult friends and

relatives (6%). Fewer would turn to an independent consumer association (4%), contact public

authorities such as the Government and relevant ministries (3%), lawyers (3%) and the European

Consumer Centre (1%). No one mentioned the EU contact points. Nine percent gave the names of

other organisations, institutions or persons, and 17% either did not know where they would turn to or

gave no answer.

17

21

9

6

6

4

3

3

0

0

11

18

Search the Internet

Shopkeepers, sellers or service providers

Dial phone number 0 700 111 22

Aktivni potrebiteli/Bulgarian National Consumer Association

Friends and relatives

Independent consumer association

Government, Ministry, Public Authority

Lawyers

The European Consumer Centre

The EU contact points

Other

DK/NA

29

15

6

7

6

4

4

2

1

0

8

17

Search the Internet







Lawyers



Other

DK/NA

24

17

7

7

6

4

3

3

1

0

9

17

Search the Internet







Lawyers



Other

DK/NA

BG

Where respondents would go in case of problem with a product, service or seller, %

Q4. Where would you go for information or advice about your consumer rights if you have a problem with a product, a service or a seller?



The 21-35 year olds were more likely by far to search for information on the Internet (29% vs. 17% of

the older group) while 36-45 year olds would rather turn directly to the seller of the faulty goods or

service provider (21% vs. 15%) or dial the hotline 0 700 111 22 (9% vs. 6%). Concerning the other

options, respondents from the different age groups did not show any notable differences.

As for other socio-demographic groups, it was mostly those living in a rural area, those with the lowest

level of education (who had left school at the age of 15), manual workers and those without paid work

who would directly turn to the provider of the goods or services. Large city dwellers, the most

educated and employees, on the other hand, were most likely to search for information and advice on

the Internet. For example, 37% of those living in a metropolitan area would consult the Internet, while

only 1 in 10 of those in rural areas would do the same (11%).


page 15

3. Consumer rights institutions, organisations and associations

In order to find out more about how well consumer rights institutions, organisations and associations

were known in Bulgaria, survey participants were asked to spontaneously identify any such

organisation that came to mind. They were then read out a list of consumer rights bodies that they had

not mentioned spontaneously and asked whether they had ever heard about those organisations.

When asked to spontaneously mention any Bulgarian consumer rights institution, organisation or

association, half of the respondents gave the name of at least one consumer rights body or

mentioned magazines, other organisations or people that they associated with the protection of

consumer rights (51%); 49% said they did not know any of those bodies.

Altogether, the best known consumer rights body was the Commission on Consumer Protection:

more than 84% were familiar with the Commission, as 46% recognized the organisation when

prompted, and almost 4 in 10 respondents gave its name spontaneously (38%). Nearly two-thirds

(64%) of respondents linked the Government and the relevant ministries with the protection of

consumer rights and 6% mentioned this option spontaneously.

The renamed Bulgarian National Consumer Association “Aktivni Potrebiteli” was familiar to a

quarter of respondents overall and 5% gave its name spontaneously. A third of respondents knew a

local or regional consumer association, and 6% gave the name of such a body. In addition, 5% of

interviewees cited a national consumer organisation when requested to name consumer rights

organisations that came to mind. When summing up the spontaneous mentions of any consumer rights

association in Bulgaria, 14% of respondents spontaneously mentioned at least one such

organisation.8

the Commission on Consumer Protection (KPZ)

The Government, Ministry

the Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria*

A local or regional consumer association

Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian national consumer association

the independent Union of consumers in Bulgaria*

European Consumer Centre in Sofia

Europe Direct

a consumer magazine/Aktivne Potrebitel magazine

Shopkeepers, sellers or banks

A national consumer association


Lawyers

DK/NA

4354

715

8756

2201017879

411

313

4335

4235

5660

4954

3229

1926

26211613

78910

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

3551

618

4757

22010271046415

415

5337

4936

6055

4342

2325

2127

17191417

1010812

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/200903/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

3852

617

6756

2201027957414

414

4936

4635

5857

4547

2726

2027

21201515

99811

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

03/2010

09/2009

BG

Awareness of institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of consumer rights , % of mention

Q6(2010)/Q3(2009). What institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of consumers’ rights do you know? (unprompted) / Q7(2010)/Q4(2009). Have you ever heard of ... (prompted)

Note: * items were asked only prompted Base: all respondents

Total sample 36-45 year-olds21-35 year-oldsUnprompted Prompted

Just 2% of respondents spontaneously mentioned the European Consumer Centre in Sofia and 15%

said they had heard about that body when prompted. Around 1 in 10 respondents knew the information

8 The single mentions add up to 16% in total; the 14% refers to those respondents who mentioned at least one consumer association

spontaneously.


page 16

centre “Europe Direct” (9%) and consumer magazines such as the Aktivni Potrebitel magazine (8%);

none of the respondents, however, cited them spontaneously.

The Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria and the Independent Union of Consumers in Bulgaria were

either not mentioned spontaneously at all or by very few respondents. Their names were, however,

familiar to 45% and 21% of respondents, respectively, when they were prompted by interviewers.

Approximately 2 out of 10 respondents spontaneously mentioned other institutions or groups of people

when asked which bodies they knew that dealt with the protection of consumer rights: 7% cited

shopkeepers, sellers or banks, 5% mentioned “other” consumer rights institutions, 4% referred to

friends and relatives and 4% mentioned lawyers.

Compared to the previous wave, respondents were generally less likely to spontaneously give the

name of any of Bulgaria’s consumer rights bodies (51%) and more liable to say they did not know

any of those institutions and organisations or not to give an answer (49%). Since 2009, therefore, the

number of spontaneously mentioned consumer rights bodies has decreased by 13 percentage points

(from 64%).

In particular, the Commission on Consumer Protection (a decrease of 14 percentage points), the

Government and ministries (a decrease of 11 points), and friends, relatives and lawyers (for both, a

decrease of 10 points) were less frequently cited. Consumer rights bodies such as Aktivni Potrebiteli,

other national consumer organisations, Europe Direct (a decrease of 1 percentage point), consumer

magazines and shopkeepers, sellers or banks (a decrease of 2 points) however, saw no significant

changes in spontaneous mentions.

Socio-demographic considerations

Concerning the differences in awareness of institutions and organisations/associations dealing with the

protection of consumer rights between the socio-demographic groups, the following general

observations could be seen:

When it came to spontaneous mentions of consumer rights bodies, 36-45 year old respondents were

somewhat more likely to give a name, while 21-35 year old respondents more often said they did not

know any consumer rights body or gave no answer (53% vs. 43%). The less educated, manual workers

and those not working were also more likely not to give any name spontaneously. The Commission on

Consumer Protection, for example, was mentioned by more than 4 in 10 respondents from the older

age group (43%), by half of those with the highest level of education and the self-employed (both

51%), and 46% of employees; this organisation, however, was spontaneously mentioned by

approximately a third of the younger respondents and those without paid work (35%, and 32%,

respectively), 34% of those with an average level of education and 28% of manual workers.

The recognition of most of Bulgaria’s consumer rights bodies when prompted was in general

higher among women, those with the highest level of education and those living in a metropolitan or

urban area. This was the case for the Commission on Consumer Protection, the Federation of

Consumers in Bulgaria, the Independent Union of Consumers in Bulgaria and Aktivni Potrebiteli (the

Bulgarian National Consumer Organisation). The last-named, for example, was mentioned by a

quarter of female respondents, compared to 18% of men.

This pattern was also observed concerning local or regional consumer rights organisations; men,

however, recognised those bodies as often as women (both 28%).

Among other observations was, for example, that the older respondents were more familiar with the

Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria, the Independent Union of Consumers in Bulgaria, and local or

regional consumer organisations when those names were read out to them compared to 21-35 year

olds. For further details see annex tables 13-14.


page 17

3.2 Trust in consumer rights bodies

When read out a list of Bulgarian consumer rights bodies and asked which one they would trust to

provide correct information or advice about consumer rights, respondents most frequently chose the

Commission on Consumer Protection (32%), 13% of respondents said they would trust consumer

information provided by friends and relatives and 1 in 10 preferred to get information from lawyers.

Information given by consumer associations of various kinds was trusted by 14% of respondents:

6% had trust in information distributed by a local or regional consumer association, 5% would trust

the Bulgarian National Consumer Association Aktivni Potrebiteli and 3% had faith in other national

consumer associations.9

Four percent of respondents trusted shopkeepers, sellers or banks, 3% had confidence in the European

Consumer Centre in Sofia, 2% in the Government and relevant ministries and 1% placed reliance in

information provided by Europe Direct. Only two respondents chose consumer magazines as the most

trustworthy source of information and advice (0%). Finally, 2% trusted information provided by

“other” institutions and 2 in 10 respondents would not, or could not, give an answer.

Differences between the two age groups were minor. The 21-35 year-olds more often said they trusted

advice and information provided by lawyers (11% vs 7% of the older age group), while 36-45 year-

olds more often chose local or regional consumer organisations as the most trusted source of

information (10% vs. 4% of 21-35 year-olds).

Over the two waves of the survey, results remained more or less stable. A slightly lower share of

survey participants now said they would trust information or advice provided by the Commission on

Consumer Protection (a decrease of 4 points), while the number of those who said they did not know

or gave no answer has increased (an increase of 7 points).

32

12

7

10

4

4

4

3

4

0

0

19

38

12

11

7

2

3

2

4

3

0

0

2

14

the Commission on Consumer Protection

friends and relatives

lawyers

a local or regional consumer association

Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian National Consumer Association

shopkeepers, sellers or banks

a national consumer association


the Government, Ministry

Europe Direct


Other

DK/NA

32

14

11

4

5

4

3

4

2

2

0

20

34

16

11

6

3

3

4

3

5

0

1

3

12



lawyers







Europe Direct


Other

DK/NA

32

13

10

6

5

4

3

3

2

1

0

20

36

14

11

6

3

3

3

3

4

0

0

2

13



lawyers







Europe Direct


Other

DK/NA

BG

Trusted establishments, %

Q9(2010)/Q6(2009). Who would you trust to give you correct information and advice on your consumer rights?Base: all respondents


03/2010

09/2009

Women, those with the highest level of education, city dwellers, the self-employed and employees

were most likely to trust information provided by the Commission on Consumer Protection; men,

those with the lowest level of education, respondents living in rural areas and manual workers,

however, were most to place confidence in information received from friends and relatives. For

9 Here, these numbers give a total of 14%, as respondents were only allowed to give one answer.


page 18

example, about one in five manual workers mentioned friends and relatives when asked who they

trusted concerning information about consumer rights (21%), compared to 10%-12% of respondents

from other occupational groups. Men, respondents living in the countryside and non-active

respondents were the most likely not to know who to trust or to not give an answer.

For further details, see annex table 16.

3.3 Use of information or help from consumer rights bodies

Respondents who mentioned a Bulgarian consumer rights body either spontaneously or who were

familiar with their names when they were read out to them were further asked whether they had ever

asked any of them for information or help.

Seven percent (63 out of 949) of respondents who mentioned at least one of the Bulgarian consumer

rights organisations, associations or institutions had contacted that one - or another organisation -

for information or help on consumer rights.

The body that had been the most frequently contacted by far was the Commission on Consumer

Protection: 6% (52 respondents in total) of the interviewed Bulgarians who were familiar with a

consumer rights body in their country had consulted this organisation; that is 83% of the 7% who had

actually contacted an organisation for information or help.

The remaining consumer rights organisations had been contacted by very few respondents: Aktivni

Potrebiteli (the renamed Bulgarian National Consumer Association) and the Federation of Consumers

in Bulgaria had been used by five interviewees, and the Independent Union of Consumers in Bulgaria

and the European Consumer Centre in Sofia had each been contacted by one respondent. Two

interviewees said they had consulted a consumer magazine such as the Aktivni Potrebitel magazine.

There were no significant differences observed between survey waves or socio-demographic groups.

For details, see annex table 16.

7

0.7

0

0

0.2

0

7

0.8

0.2

0

0

0.2


the Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria



the independent Union of consumers in Bulgaria


5

0.4

0.8

0.4

0

0.2

7

0.3

0.5

0.3

0.3

0







BG

Consumer rights’ organisations that have been asked for information, % of yes responses

Q8(2010)/Q5(2009). Have you ever asked any of these (organisation/magazine) for information or help? Base: those who were aware of any organisations/associations dealing with the protection of consumer rights

6

0.5

0.6

0.2

0.1

0.1

7

0.5

0.4

0.2

0.2

0.1







Total 21-35 year-olds 36-45 year-olds

03/2010

09/2009

As a next step, those respondents who had been in contact with the Bulgarian National Consumer

Association Aktivni Potrebiteli and the European Consumer Centre in Sofia were asked whether they

were satisfied with the service and whether they would recommend these organizations. However, as

only five respondents had contacted Aktivni Potrebiteli and one had been in touch with the European

Consumer Centre in Sofia, the results can be presented for information only. 10

10

Those five Bulgarians that had been in contact with Aktivni Potrebiteli were mostly satisfied with the service they had received and they

would mostly recommend the bodies to friends and relatives. The interviewee who had contacted the European Consumer Centre in Sofia,


page 19

4. Support for an independent consumer organisation and a dedicated magazine and website

Bulgarians participating in the survey were interviewed about their interest in a magazine or a website,

dedicated to consumer rights, that conducted and published comparative tests of products and services.

Furthermore, they were asked whether –and how much – they would be ready to pay for such a service

and whether they would financially support an independent consumer rights organisation in Bulgaria.

4.1 A consumer rights magazine and website

Nearly 6 in 10 respondents would be interested in an independent consumer rights website

(58%), and 44% expressed their interest in a dedicated magazine. Interest in both the website

(62%) and the magazine (46%) was higher among the younger respondents (52% vs. 41% of 36-45

year-olds). The interest in a consumer rights magazine has substantially decreased since September

2009 (a decrease of 13 percentage points), particularly among members of the older age group (a

decrease of 17 points).

52

41

59

58

Website

Magazine

62

46

64

56

Website

Magazine

BG

58

44

62

57

Website

Magazine

Respondents’ interest in an independent consumer rights magazine or website, %

Q14(2010)/Q11(2009). Would you be interested in an independent consumer magazine or website that gives you results of independent comparative tests of the quality of products and

services such as washing machines, mobile phones and food products? Base: all respondents


03/2010 09/2009

Concerning other socio-demographic characteristics of those interested in the above-mentioned

services, it was observed that women, those with the highest level of education, city dwellers and

employees were most interested in both the website and the magazine. For example, 48% of women

had an interest in the magazine and 62% in the website, compared to 40% and 54%, respectively, of

men. For further details, see annex table 25.

Asked how much they would pay for such an independent website or magazine, 7 in 10 respondents

said they didn’t know or gave no answer (69%); that is slightly more than in the previous wave

(65%, an increase of 4 percentage points).

Of the 31% of respondents who answered the question about paying a fee (n=311), most would prefer

to pay 12 leva for a one-year period of access to the test results published on the website

www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg (35%) or buy single issues of the magazines at a kiosk for 3 leva (31%).

Approximately a quarter of the interviewees who gave an answer to that question would pay 2 leva by

credit or debit card to access the results on the website www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg (23%). Paying 20

leva for an annual subscription (10 magazines a year) was the least popular option among respondents

(10%).

however, did not think that it had been helpful, useful and effective but would still recommend the organisation to friends and relatives in

case they needed information or advice on consumer rights. For details, see annex tables 17-24.


page 20

BG

What respondents would be prepared to pay for an independent consumer rights magazine or website?, %

Q15(2010)/Q12(2009). Would you be prepared to pay?Base: those who gave an answer

20 leva for a subscription (10 magazines per year)

3 leva for a single magazine at a kiosk

2 leva by credit/debit card for the results of a test via the website

www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg / bnap.org

12 leva for a one year period of acees to results of comparative tests on the

website www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg / bnap.org

Total 36-45 year-olds21-35 year-olds

9

37

26

27

21

44

14

21

10

28

23

39

17

51

11

21

10

31

23

35

18

48

12

21

03/2010 09/2009

Some differences could be seen between the two survey waves. The respondents interviewed in

September 2009 mostly preferred, for example, to buy single issues of the magazine at a kiosk (48%),

while the least preferred option was to pay 2 leva by credit or debit card for access to specific tests on

the website www.bnap.org11

(12%).

The differences between socio-demographic groups were only statistically significant in a few cases:

The willingness to pay 12 leva for a one year period of online-access to comparative tests increased

with the level of education, and was higher among 21-35 year-olds and respondents living in a

metropolitan area compared to their counterparts. For example, 18% of those with the highest level of

education would opt for this mode of payment, compared to 9% of those with an average level of

education and none of those with the lowest level of education. It was also observed that city dwellers

showed a higher readiness to pay 2 leva by credit or debit card for access to the test results on the

website (11% vs. 5% in rural areas)12


4.2 Funding an independent consumer organisation

Concerning the funding of an independent consumer organisation in Bulgaria, survey participants

were read out five different possibilities of how such an organisation could be financed and asked for

each of these options whether they would support it or not. Two of the possibilities suggested some

kind of financial support without any direct service in return and three of the options implied the

payment of a membership fee whose amount varied according to the services that respondents would

receive in return.

Just as in the previous wave, approximately 4 in 10 respondents supported at least one of the

suggested options (2010: 42%, 2009: 41%). Also similar to the previous wave, the option to give a

donation without a direct service in return was more frequently chosen (36% of respondents

opted for one of these methods in 2010 and 32% did so in 2009) than that of paying an annual

membership fee and getting a service in return (chosen in both waves by one-fifth of respondents:

19% in 2010, 22% in 2009).13

11

As the Bulgarian National Consumer Organisation was renamed to Aktivni Potrebiteli between the two waves of the survey, accordingly

the website was renamed from www.bnap.org to www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg. 12 The differences shown in the graph between age groups may seem substantial. However, due to the low number of respondents, they are not significant at the 0.05 confidence level. Please note, too, that the results for those respondents with the lowest level of education must be

treated with caution, as their numbers were low (n=55, unweighted number). 13 Results do not add up to 100% as respondents had the possibility of giving several answers.


page 21

Looking in more detail at the different ways of funding an independent consumer organisation for the

current wave, the most popular means were making a tax-deductible donation (26%) and giving the

association a percentage of taxes instead of paying them to the government (24%).

Among the possibilities of paying a membership fee and getting a direct service in return, respondents

most frequently opted for the lowest fee and the lowest level of service: indeed, 17% of interviewed

Bulgarians were ready to pay an annual membership fee of 12 leva, if this included an online access

to 10 issues of an independent consumer magazine that offered the results of product and service tests,

while nearly 1 in 10 (8%) would pay 20 leva to get the printed version of the consumer magazine as

well as online access. Just 5% would pay 40 leva if the service also included, in addition to online

access and the printed version of the magazine, legal advice when required. These figures remained

basically unchanged compared to the first wave of the survey.

The younger respondents were more likely than their older counterparts to be willing to pay an annual

membership fee of 12 leva, if this included an online access to 10 issues of an independent consumer

magazine that offered the results of product and service tests (20% vs. 12%); this difference was due to

a significant drop, since September 2009, in readiness to choose this option among respondents from

the older age group (decrease of 6 percentage points). Moreover, younger respondents were more

likely to pay 20 leva to get the printed version of the consumer magazine as well as online access

(10% vs. 5%).

BG

Giving this association a donation which you can deduct from your income tax

Giving this association a percentage of your tax instead of paying them to the Government

Paying an annual membership fee of 12 leva, if this included online access to 10 issues of an

independent consumer magazine with results of comparative tests of products and services

Paying an annual membership fee of 20 leva, if this included online access to 10 issues of an

independent consumer magazine with results of comparative tests of products and services plus the

printed version as well

Paying an annual membership fee of 40 leva, if this included online access to 10 issues (print) of an independent consumer magazine with results of

comparative tests of products and services, plus the printed version as well, plus legal advice if needed

Support for an independent Bulgarian consumer rights association, % of yes

Q16(2010)/Q13(2009). Would you be willing to support an independent Bulgarian consumer association by …?Base: all respondents


25

24

12

5

5

27

25

18

7

5

26

24

17

8

5

26

24

19

7

6

28

25

20

10

6

25

23

19

7

6

03/2010 09/2009

Respondents with the highest level of education and those living in a metropolitan or urban area were,

in general, more ready to financially support an independent consumer organisation. For example,

between 8% (in support of paying an annual membership fee of 20 leva) and 33% (in support of giving

a tax-deductible donation) of those living in a metropolitan area declared themselves ready to provide

financial support to such an organisation, compared to between 2% (in support of paying an annual

membership fee of 40 leva) and 14% (in support of giving a percentage of taxes) of respondents from a

rural area.

Women were slightly more likely to prefer to support an independent organisation via taxes (27% vs.

23% of men), while the latter showed a higher readiness to make a tax-deductible donation (28% vs.

25% of women). For further details, see annex table 27.


page 22

5. Protection of consumer rights in Bulgaria

Respondents were asked to assess the level of consumer protection they had in Bulgaria compared to

that existing in other EU countries.

Just as in the previous survey wave, over 7 in 10 respondents thought that consumers in Bulgaria

were less protected than consumers elsewhere in the EU (73%, an increase of 1 percentage point).

Roughly one in six (16%) believed that they enjoyed the same level of consumer protection as

residents of other EU Member States; 2% had the impression that Bulgarian consumers were better

protected than those in other EU Member States. One in 10 respondents did not know how to judge

the situation in Bulgaria compared to the rest of the EU (9%).

BG

Opinions about the protection of consumer rights in Bulgaria compared to other EU countries , %

Q17(2010)/Q14(2009). Compared to other EU countries, do you think consumers in Bulgaria have the same, less or more consumer rights and protection?


2

2

16

16

73

72

9

9

03/2010

09/2009


More Same Less DK/NA

2

3

16

16

74

71

8

10

03/2010

09/2009

2

1

16

17

73

75

9

7

03/2010

09/2009

Respondents living in a metropolitan area, the most educated ones and employees commented more

frequently that the level of consumer protection was the same in Bulgaria as in other EU countries.

The self-employed and those with an average level of education were most likely to argue that

consumers in Bulgaria were less protected than citizens elsewhere in the EU. For further details, see

Annex table 28.

Participants were even more negative when assessing whether Bulgarian shopkeepers and service

providers respected consumer rights. Similar to the previous wave, more than 8 in 10 respondents felt

that Bulgarian shopkeepers and service providers respected consumer rights less than their

counterparts in other EU Member States (84%, an increase of 2 percentage points). Just 7%

thought that they respected consumer rights to the same extent as their counterparts in other EU

countries and only 2% thought that they showed more respect to those rights. Around 1 in 10

respondents didn’t know how to judge the situation or gave no answer (8%).

BG

Opinions about how consumer rights are respected in Bulgaria compared to other EU countries , %

Q18(2010)/Q15(2009). Do you think sellers in Bulgaria respect consumer rights and protection rules the same, less or more?


2

1

7

7

84

82

8

9

03/2010

09/2009


More Same Less DK/NA

2

2

6

8

85

82

7

8

03/2010

09/2009

1

1

7

7

84

82

8

11

03/2010

09/2009


page 23

Those with the highest level of education (90%), large city dwellers (88%), the self-employed (90%)

and employees (88%) were most likely to say that shopkeepers (sellers) respected consumer rights less

than they did in other EU countries, compared to those with lower levels of education (77%-82%),

manual workers and those not working (80%-81%). For further details, see Annex table 29.

Most respondents also thought that the Bulgarian justice system was not efficient in punishing

businesses that misled or cheated their customers (79%) and only 8% of respondents thought it

was efficient in such cases. Thirteen percent did not know how to judge the efficiency of the

Bulgarian legal system or gave no answer. Opinions on this point have been stable over both waves of

the survey.

Younger respondents were slightly more confident that the Bulgarian justice system was efficient

when it came to fighting businesses that cheated or misled consumers. 1 in 10 of the 21-35 year-olds

were happy with the situation while this point of view was shared by only 6% of 36-45 year-olds.

BG

Opinions as to whether the Bulgarian justice system is efficient in dealing with businesses that cheat or mislead consumers, %

Q19(2010)/Q16(2009). In general, would you say that the Bulgarian justice system is efficient in punishing businesses that mislead or cheat consumers?


8

8

79

81

13

12

03/2010

09/2009


10

9

79

79

11

12

03/2010

09/2009

6

6

80

83

14

11

03/2010

09/2009

NoYes DK/NA

Respondents living in a major city or a town, those with the highest level of education and the self-

employed were particularly likely to be critical about the efficiency of the Bulgarian justice system

when it came to punishing a seller or provider of faulty goods or services. For example, 86% of major

city dwellers said the legal system was not efficient enough on that count, compared to 74% of those

living in a rural area. Members of the latter group were, together with those with the lowest level of

education and respondents without paid work, most likely not to know how to judge the efficiency of

the Bulgarian justice system when it came to dealing with businesses that cheated or misled

consumers.


Annex Flash EB No 275- Consumer protection and consumer rights (BG - wave 2)

page 24

Flash EB Series #275

Consumer protection and consumer rights

in Bulgaria

Wave2

Annex Tables and

Survey Details

THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION

Flash EB No 275- Consumer protection and consumer rights (BG - wave 2) Annex

page 25

Annex tables

Table 1. Awareness of messages over the past weeks about consumer rights ..................................... 26

Table 2. The messages the respondents have seen/heard ..................................................................... 27

Table 3. Awareness of advertisements/news articles saying that respondents should stand up for their consumer rights ............................................................................................................ 28

Table 4. Awareness of messages about consumer rights regarding returning mobile phones,

holiday packages and hotels or consumer credit .................................................................. 29

Table 5. Awareness of messages about consumers knowing their rights not being cheated ................ 30

Table 6. The channels of messages about the consumer rights ............................................................ 31

Table 7. Usefulness of the information received through the information campaign .......................... 32

Table 8. Evaluation of the messages about the consumer rights – Easy to understand ....................... 33

Table 9. Evaluation of the messages about the consumer rights – Easy to remember ......................... 34

Table 10. Evaluation of the messages about the consumer rights – Convincing .................................. 35

Table 11. Asking advice in case of problem with a product, a service or a seller ................................ 36

Table 12. Main ways of finding information on consumer rights ........................................................ 37

Table 13. Awareness of institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of consumer rights - Unprompted ............................................................................................. 38

Table 14. Awareness of institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of

consumer rights - Prompted ................................................................................................. 39

Table 15. Consumer rights organisations that were asked for information .......................................... 40

Table 16. Trusted establishments ......................................................................................................... 41

Table 17. Opinion on the people working at Aktivni Potrebiteli / Bulgarian National Consumer

Association ........................................................................................................................... 42

Table 18. Opinion on the advice received from Aktivni Potrebiteli / Bulgarian National Consumer Association ......................................................................................................... 43

Table 19. Opinion on the handling of request at Aktivni Potrebiteli / Bulgarian National Consumer Association ......................................................................................................... 44

Table 20. Encouraging others to ask Aktivni Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer

Association for information or advice .................................................................................. 45

Table 21. Opinion on the people working at the European Consumer Centre in Sofia ........................ 46

Table 22. Opinion on the advice received from the European Consumer Centre in Sofia ................... 47

Table 23. Opinion on the handling of request at the European Consumer Centre in Sofia .................. 48

Table 24. Encouraging others to ask European Consumer Centre in Sofia for information or

advice ................................................................................................................................... 49

Table 25. Interest in an independent consumer rights magazine or website ........................................ 50

Table 26. Would you be prepared to pay? ............................................................................................ 51

Table 27. Support for an independent Bulgarian consumer rights association .................................... 52

Table 28. Consumer rights compared to other EU countries................................................................ 53

Table 29. Respecting consumer rights compared to other EU countries .............................................. 54

Table 30. Legal reprisals for cheating or misleading consumers ......................................................... 55


page 26

Table 1. Awareness of messages over the past weeks about consumer rights

QUESTION: Q1a. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard messages about consumer rights?

Total N % Yes % No % DK/NA

TOTAL 1001 43 55.7 1.3

SEX

Male 519 41.8 56.8 1.5

Female 482 44.4 54.6 1

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 36.7 62.8 0.5

30 – 34 198 44.5 53.7 1.8

35 – 39 187 43.1 56.2 0.7

40 – 45 230 51.2 46.2 2.6

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 39.2 60 0.9

36 – 45 372 49 49.1 1.9

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 15.6 80.3 4.1

16 – 20 614 40 58.8 1.2

20 + 283 57 42.4 0.6

Still in education 32 27 73 0

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 51.7 48.3 0

Urban 636 42.9 56.1 1

Rural 188 36 61.4 2.7

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 52.9 46 1.1

Employee 360 51.8 47 1.2

Manual worker 190 38.7 60.9 0.4

Not working 358 34.1 64.4 1.5


page 27

Table 2. The messages the respondents have seen/heard

QUESTION: Q1a_a_01-99. Can you please tell me what this/these message/s was/were?

Base: who have seen/heard over the past weeks messages about consumer rights

% of “Mentions” shown

To

tal

N

Th

e ex

act

slo

ga

n i

s m

enti

on

ed

Mes

sag

e a

bo

ut

the

con

sum

er r

igh

ts -

in

g

ener

al

Mes

sag

es a

bo

ut

the

con

sum

er r

igh

ts

an

d m

ob

ile

ph

on

es r

epa

ir

Mes

sag

e a

bo

ut

the

con

sum

er r

igh

ts a

nd

h

oli

da

y p

ack

ag

es,

ho

tel

Mes

sag

e a

bo

ut

the

con

sum

er r

igh

ts a

nd

cr

edit

, b

an

ks

Mes

sag

es a

bo

ut

mo

bil

e p

ho

ne

rep

air

/

ma

kin

g a

mo

nk

ey o

ut

of

peo

ple

Mes

sag

e a

bo

ut

ho

lid

ay

pa

cka

ges

, h

ote

l -

sen

din

g p

eop

le f

or

gre

en c

av

iar

-w

ith

ou

t m

enti

on

ing

th

e co

nsu

mer

rig

ht

Mes

sag

e a

bo

ut

con

sum

er c

red

it g

lid

ing

p

eop

le f

rom

th

e sl

ide

-w

ith

ou

t m

enti

on

ing

th

e co

nsu

mer

rig

ht

Mes

sag

es a

bo

ut

peo

ple

no

t k

no

win

g

thei

r ri

gh

ts a

s co

nsu

mer

in

Bu

lga

ria

Mes

sag

es a

bo

ut

chea

tin

g c

on

sum

er

Oth

er a

nsw

ers

DK

/NA

TOTAL 431 14.7 42.8 11.4 5 6.3 7.8 4.5 5.1 6.3 9.3 5.7 10.7

SEX

Male 217 14.5 41.5 10 5.5 6 5.3 4.5 5.7 6.3 10.5 4.9 13.5

Female 214 15 44.1 12.8 4.3 6.6 10.3 4.5 4.4 6.4 8.2 6.4 7.9

AGE (4

categories)

21 – 29 133 14.7 40.9 11.1 7.9 5.1 14.3 7 5.7 6.6 11.7 6.1 8.8

30 – 34 88 16.5 30 12.9 3.1 8.3 6 2.5 1 4.6 4.2 6.5 16

35 – 39 80 8.9 56.1 10.7 3.3 7.7 5.5 3.1 7.6 7.4 8.3 4.8 10

40 – 45 118 14.2 45.6 12 3.6 5.9 4 4.6 5 6.1 11 5.6 10.6

AGE (2

categories)

21 – 35 237 14.7 38.2 11.9 5.6 6.8 10.3 4.9 3.6 5.4 8.9 5.9 11.5

36 – 45 182 12.7 48.9 11.4 3.7 6.1 5 4.3 6.6 7.2 9.9 5.7 10.4

EDUCATION

(end of)

Until 15 years of age 9 10.2 9.6 15.1 0 9.1 40.9 0 16.6 7.1 30.2 0 0

16 – 20 246 14.6 40.1 11.4 6.3 6.2 9.8 6.8 7.4 7 9.5 4.1 11.9

20 + 161 14.4 51.4 11.7 3.6 6.3 2.9 1.7 1.3 5.9 8.1 8.2 7.5

Still in education 9 14.8 14.8 0 0 11.7 15.6 0 0 0 14.8 11.9 31.2

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 89 4.6 49.7 13.1 3.4 6.2 6.8 3.4 2.4 6.8 4.5 3.9 11.5

Urban 273 16.4 43 8.4 4.4 7 4.7 4.5 3.9 6 9.9 6.4 11.8

Rural 67 21.6 31.8 21.4 9.5 3.9 21.8 5.9 13.4 7.4 13.6 5.2 5.7

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 48 9 43.8 11.8 4.8 6.3 4.6 2.5 2.7 11.2 13.6 6.5 14.4

Employee 187 15.5 47.6 12.4 5.6 7.7 6.8 2.1 4.4 5.7 5.6 5.7 9

Manual worker 73 22.1 30.1 10.5 3.4 2.2 5.9 10.1 6.8 4.8 11.3 7.1 13.2

Not working 122 11.5 43 10.2 5.1 6.7 11.7 5.6 5.9 6.3 12.2 4.5 9.9


page 28

Table 3. Awareness of advertisements/news articles saying that respondents should stand up for their consumer rights

QUESTION: Q1b. Have you over the past weeks see/heard advertisements/news articles saying that you should stand

up for your consumer rights, not let them glide you from the slide, make you into monkey, send you for green caviar?

Base: who haven’t seen/heard over the past week the exact slogan


TOTAL 937 54.4 43.2 2.4

SEX

Male 488 50.1 47.4 2.6

Female 449 59.1 38.7 2.1

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 344 54.9 44.3 0.8

30 – 34 184 53.5 42.5 4

35 – 39 179 58.9 39 2.1

40 – 45 214 53.3 43.8 2.9

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 571 54.4 43.7 1.9

36 – 45 349 56 41.4 2.6

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 55 22 73.4 4.6

16 – 20 579 52.6 45 2.4

20 + 260 67.3 31.7 1

Still in education 31 49.4 50.6 0

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 168 66.4 33.1 0.5

Urban 592 55.9 42.5 1.6

Rural 173 38.4 55.2 6.4

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 87 60.6 38.4 1

Employee 331 62.2 37.2 0.5

Manual worker 174 43.9 54.1 2

Not working 344 50.5 45.1 4.4


page 29

Table 4. Awareness of messages about consumer rights regarding returning mobile phones, holiday packages and hotels or consumer credit

QUESTION: Q1c. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisement, messages, information about consumer

rights regarding returning mobile phones, holiday packages and hotels or consumer credit?

Base: who were not aware the exact slogan or any advertisements/news articles about standing up for consumer rights


TOTAL 427 11.8 83.5 4.7

SEX

Male 244 10.6 85.1 4.3

Female 184 13.4 81.4 5.3

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 155 9 88.7 2.3

30 – 34 85 17.1 77.5 5.4

35 – 39 74 15.1 79.8 5.1

40 – 45 100 10.8 83.2 6

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 260 12.1 84.4 3.5

36 – 45 154 12.3 81.9 5.8

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 43 0 92.7 7.3

16 – 20 274 10 85.8 4.2

20 + 85 25.8 70.9 3.3

Still in education 15 6.6 93.4 0

URBANISATION


Urban 261 12.7 84.6 2.6

Rural 107 6.9 83.8 9.3

OCCUPATION


Employee 125 19.5 78.3 2.2

Manual worker 97 9.5 86.2 4.2

Not working 170 6.4 86.3 7.3


page 30

Table 5. Awareness of messages about consumers knowing their rights not being cheated

QUESTION: Q1d. Have you over the past weeks see/heard advertisements/news articles about consumers knowing

their rights, not being cheated?

Base: who have seen/heard over the past week ads/news articles regarding returning mobile phones, holiday packages and

hotels or consumer credit


TOTAL 50 16.6 63.5 19.8

SEX

Male 26 27.3 49.4 23.3

Female 25 5.4 78.5 16.1

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 14 19.3 51.5 29.2

30 – 34 15 18.5 69 12.5

35 – 39 11 5.5 83.6 10.8

40 – 45 11 22.1 50.9 27

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 31 17.1 64.2 18.7

36 – 45 19 15.8 62.4 21.8

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 0 0 0 0

16 – 20 27 21.2 52.6 26.2

20 + 22 11.7 75.6 12.7

Still in education 1 0 100 0

URBANISATION


Urban 33 22.7 62.6 14.7

Rural 7 0 46.5 53.5

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 6 0 54.1 45.9

Employee 24 14.5 71.9 13.6

Manual worker 9 43.2 50.1 6.8

Not working 11 7.7 61.4 30.9


page 31

Table 6. The channels of messages about the consumer rights

QUESTION: Q2_1-9. Where did you see/hear this/these messages about consumer rights?

Base: who are aware any kind of advertisement

% of “Mentioned” shown

To

tal

N

On

TV

On

ra

dio

In a

new

spa

per

/ m

ag

azi

ne

In b

roch

ure

/lea

flet

On

th

e in

tern

et

Fro

m f

am

ily

, fr

ien

ds,

co

llea

gu

es

Oth

er

DK

/NA

TOTAL 675 85.6 6.8 6.5 2.3 11.9 4.5 1.2 3.3

SEX

Male 334 83.5 7.5 5.6 2.3 11.5 4.2 2.2 4.8

Female 341 87.6 6.1 7.4 2.3 12.2 4.8 0.1 1.8

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 238 83.6 6.8 4.2 2.9 14.8 4.7 1.7 2.7

30 – 34 136 86.1 6.5 4.3 1.9 7.8 3.5 0.9 5.6

35 – 39 132 85.3 6.5 8.4 3.6 10.4 3.1 0.9 2.5

40 – 45 158 88.3 7.1 9.1 1 12.5 5.8 0.9 2.3

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 402 84.3 6.6 4.4 2.3 12.1 4.2 1.3 3.8

36 – 45 261 87.5 7 9.1 2.4 11.7 4.7 1 2.2

EDUCATION (end

of)

Until 15 years of age 13 94.6 5.4 4.7 0 0 9.7 0 0

16 – 20 398 84.9 6.2 5.3 2.1 8.7 4.8 0.9 4.7

20 + 237 87.5 7.7 9.2 3.1 16.8 3.8 1.3 1.5

Still in education 19 67.9 12.7 0 0 21.1 5.5 7.2 0

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 135 76.7 9.9 6 1.6 18.9 2.2 0 4.5

Urban 440 88.6 5.3 6.3 2.2 11.6 4.8 1.3 2.8

Rural 97 83.9 9.3 8 3.9 3.8 6.5 2.3 3.8

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 71 84.9 8.4 7.7 0 12 7 0 4.8

Employee 273 82.5 9 8.9 3.8 17.9 3.6 1.2 2.5

Manual worker 114 87.5 4 5.5 0.7 4.5 5.7 2.1 4.9

Not working 214 88.7 5 3.5 2.1 8.1 4.2 1.1 2.9


page 32

Table 7. Usefulness of the information received through the information campaign

QUESTION: Q3a. Did you find the information you have received through these messages/this information campaign


Total N

% Not

useful at

all

% Not

useful % Useful

% Very

useful

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 675 3.7 9.7 66.2 14.3 6.1

SEX

Male 334 4.4 9.1 64.8 14.2 7.5

Female 341 3 10.3 67.5 14.5 4.6

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 238 2.7 8.7 69.5 12.5 6.6

30 – 34 136 3.3 8 62.8 17.2 8.8

35 – 39 132 7.2 9.7 67.6 12.5 3

40 – 45 158 3 13.4 64 13.7 5.9

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 402 3.5 8.2 67.8 13.4 7.1

36 – 45 261 4.3 12.5 64.3 14.2 4.7

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 13 7.7 13.2 69 4.7 5.4

16 – 20 398 4.3 8.4 64.6 14.6 8.1

20 + 237 2.5 11.6 69.3 14.1 2.7

Still in education 19 0 16 71.3 12.7 0

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 135 3.6 9 73.3 10 4.1

Urban 440 3.3 9.7 66.9 14.7 5.5

Rural 97 6 11.2 53.6 19.1 10.1

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 71 4.7 15.1 57.6 17.3 5.4

Employee 273 2.4 8.5 67.3 16.7 5.1

Manual worker 114 1.2 11.4 61.4 16.6 9.5

Not working 214 6.5 8.3 70.2 9.2 5.8


page 33

Table 8. Evaluation of the messages about the consumer rights – Easy to understand

QUESTION: Q3_A. Did you find the information about your rights as a consumer of repair of faulty goods, holiday

packages, and consumer credit, provided through the campaign on consumer rights.... - Easy to understand?


Total N % Agree % Disagree % DK/NA

TOTAL 675 78.1 17 4.8

SEX

Male 334 76.8 16.9 6.4

Female 341 79.5 17.2 3.3

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 238 79.2 14.2 6.6

30 – 34 136 77.8 17.3 5

35 – 39 132 77.9 16.8 5.3

40 – 45 158 76.4 21.5 2

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 402 78.2 16 5.9

36 – 45 261 77.7 18.8 3.4

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 13 86.9 13.1 0

16 – 20 398 79.4 14.7 5.9

20 + 237 76 21.4 2.6

Still in education 19 87.7 5.5 6.8

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 135 80 16.9 3

Urban 440 77.7 17.6 4.7

Rural 97 78.5 14.9 6.7

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 71 76.4 18 5.5

Employee 273 79.5 17.6 2.9

Manual worker 114 75.2 15.6 9.2

Not working 214 78.4 16.9 4.7


page 34

Table 9. Evaluation of the messages about the consumer rights – Easy to remember

QUESTION: Q3_B. Did you find the information about your rights as a consumer of repair of faulty goods, holiday

packages, and consumer credit, provided through the campaign on consumer rights.... - Easy to remember?



TOTAL 675 75.7 17.3 7.1

SEX

Male 334 73.3 18.6 8.1

Female 341 77.9 16 6

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 238 80 13 7

30 – 34 136 77 15.6 7.4

35 – 39 132 71.3 20.3 8.4

40 – 45 158 71.5 23 5.5

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 402 78.7 14.4 6.9

36 – 45 261 70.9 21.9 7.1

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 13 86.9 13.1 0

16 – 20 398 75.8 16.3 7.9

20 + 237 75.4 19.7 4.9


URBANISATION

Metropolitan 135 75.7 22 2.3

Urban 440 75.8 16.2 8

Rural 97 75.9 15.8 8.2

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 71 76.6 16.6 6.8

Employee 273 76.5 18.3 5.2

Manual worker 114 72.5 19 8.5

Not working 214 75.9 15.3 8.8


page 35

Table 10. Evaluation of the messages about the consumer rights – Convincing

QUESTION: Q3_C. Did you find the information about your rights as a consumer of repair of faulty goods, holiday

packages, and consumer credit, provided through the campaign on consumer rights.... - Convincing



TOTAL 675 62.5 27.6 9.8

SEX

Male 334 58.2 29.4 12.4

Female 341 66.8 25.9 7.3

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 238 64.3 26.7 9

30 – 34 136 63.1 25 11.9

35 – 39 132 60.7 30.7 8.6

40 – 45 158 60 29.8 10.2

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 402 64 26.3 9.7

36 – 45 261 59.7 30.2 10

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 398 60.7 27 12.3

20 + 237 64.2 30.6 5.2


URBANISATION


Urban 440 63.5 26.5 9.9

Rural 97 58.5 25.7 15.8

OCCUPATION


Employee 273 61.1 31.4 7.5

Manual worker 114 62.8 26 11.2

Not working 214 64.3 25.9 9.7


page 36

Table 11. Asking advice in case of problem with a product, a service or a seller

QUESTION: Q4. Where would you go for information or advice about your consumer rights if you have a problem

with a product, a service or a seller?

To

tal

N

% G

ov

ern

men

t, M

inis

try

, P

ub

lic

Au

tho

rity

% D

ial

ph

on

e n

um

ber

0 7

00

11

1 2

2

% A

kti

vn

i P

otr

ebit

eli/

Bu

lga

ria

n

Na

tio

na

l C

on

sum

er A

sso

cia

tio

n

% I

nd

epen

den

t c

on

sum

er

ass

oci

ati

on

% S

ho

pk

eep

ers,

sel

lers

or

se

rvic

e p

rov

ider

s

% F

rien

ds

an

d r

ela

tiv

es

% L

aw

yer

s

% T

he

EU

co

nta

ct p

oin

ts

% T

he

Eu

rop

ean

Co

nsu

mer

C

entr

e

% S

earc

h t

he

Inte

rnet

% O

ther

% D

K/N

A

TOTAL 1001 3.3 7.4 6.7 4.3 17.3 6.2 2.6 0.4 0.8 24.4 9.4 17.3

SEX

Male 519 2.4 6.9 8.2 4.7 16.7 6.9 2.7 0.5 0.8 23.5 9.3 17.5

Female 482 4.2 7.8 5 3.9 18 5.4 2.5 0.2 0.9 25.4 9.5 17.1

AGE (4

categories)

21 – 29 363 3.4 6.4 7 2.9 15.6 6.7 2.7 0.7 1.3 30.1 7.2 16

30 – 34 198 4.2 5.3 7.4 6.3 13.1 5.8 2.6 0 1.1 26.4 10.3 17.5

35 – 39 187 1.3 9.4 3.5 5.3 20.6 5 1.8 0 0 20.3 12.3 20.5

40 – 45 230 4.3 9 7.1 3.3 20.8 6.5 3.5 0.4 0.7 17.3 9.9 17

AGE (2

categories)

21 – 35 606 3.5 6.2 6.8 4.1 14.9 6.4 2.4 0.4 1.1 28.9 8.4 16.9

36 – 45 372 3.1 9.3 5.9 4.1 21.2 5.8 3.1 0.3 0.4 17.2 11.2 18.3

EDUCATION

(end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 1.8 4 1.8 1.4 31.9 19.7 5.8 0 0 4 4.2 25.2

16 – 20 614 3.2 8.2 6.9 4.4 17.1 6.6 2.5 0.6 1.2 19.4 9.9 20

20 + 283 3.4 6.5 7.3 4.9 13.6 2.6 2.2 0 0.4 38.6 9.6 10.8

Still in education 32 6.4 4.2 4.2 3.2 20.9 9.7 4.2 0 0 38.9 8.2 0

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 3.1 9.7 4.5 5.7 5.4 3.5 1.4 0 2.1 37.4 12.2 15

Urban 636 3 6.2 7.2 3.8 19.1 5.5 2.1 0.6 0.6 24.8 10.4 16.6

Rural 188 4.5 9.2 6.1 4.8 22.5 10.6 5.4 0 0.4 11.2 3 22.2

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 4.2 9.9 3.6 8.5 13.4 7.7 3.5 0 0 27.3 4.7 17.2

Employee 360 4.1 8 9.3 4.2 13.8 3.1 1.6 0 1.2 31.1 12.1 11.5

Manual worker 190 3.1 6.8 6.8 3.9 22.4 9.1 3.6 0.5 1.1 10.5 9 23.2

Not working 358 2.4 6.4 4.8 3.5 19.2 7.1 2.9 0.8 0.6 24.5 7.9 20


page 37

Table 12. Main ways of finding information on consumer rights

QUESTION: Q5. How would you try to find information and advice about consumer rights?

To

tal

N

% B

y p

ho

ne

% S

earc

h o

n w

eb

% S

end

let

ter

% W

rite

e-m

ail

% G

o t

o w

ww

.

ak

tiv

nip

otr

ebit

eli.

bg

% O

ther

% D

K/N

A

TOTAL 1001 24.6 43.7 1.9 3.3 6.8 8.3 11.4

SEX

Male 519 25.5 39.7 2.2 4 7.5 8.6 12.5

Female 482 23.6 48.1 1.6 2.5 6.2 7.9 10.2

AGE (4

categories)

21 – 29 363 16.6 50.1 2 4.3 7.8 7.8 11.5

30 – 34 198 28.4 40.3 1.8 4.7 8 7.2 9.6

35 – 39 187 32.1 44.6 1 1.3 1.8 8.4 10.9

40 – 45 230 29.1 37.2 2.9 2.2 6.1 10.1 12.3

AGE (2

categories)

21 – 35 606 21.1 46.7 1.8 4.1 7.6 7.7 11

36 – 45 372 31 39.6 2.3 2 4.2 9.4 11.4

EDUCATION

(end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 38.5 8.4 1.5 2 2.3 19.1 28.2

16 – 20 614 27.9 40.9 2.3 2.1 4.9 8.5 13.3

20 + 283 16 57.8 1.5 5.4 11 5.3 2.8

Still in education 32 13.9 43.3 0 9.2 13.7 7.5 12.4

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 24.7 54.4 3 3 7.8 4.4 2.6

Urban 636 21.4 47.4 1.4 3.7 7.3 8 10.8

Rural 188 34.7 22 2.6 2.1 4.5 12.5 21.6

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 28.9 47.8 0 4.1 7.4 9.1 2.7

Employee 360 22.4 52.9 2.4 3.8 7.6 6 4.8

Manual worker 190 26.9 33.8 3.1 4.6 5.1 10.8 15.6

Not working 358 24.6 38.6 1.3 1.8 6.8 8.8 18


page 38

Table 13. Awareness of institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of consumer rights - Unprompted

QUESTION: Q6_01-99. What institutions and organizations/associations dealing with protection of consumers' rights

do you know?

% of "Mentioned” shown

To

tal

N

% T

he

Go

ver

nm

ent,

M

inis

try

% t

he

Co

mm

issi

on

on

C

on

sum

er P

rote

ctio

n (

KP

Z)

% A

lo

cal

or

reg

ion

al

con

sum

er a

sso

cia

tio

n

& A

na

tio

na

l co

nsu

mer

a

sso

cia

tio

n

% A

kti

vn

i P

otr

ebit

eli

or

Bu

lga

ria

n N

ati

on

al

Co

nsu

mer

Ass

oci

ati

on

% S

ho

pk

eep

ers,

sel

lers

or

b

an

ks

% F

rien

ds

an

d r

ela

tiv

es

% L

aw

yer

s

% E

uro

pe

Dir

ect

% a

co

nsu

mer

m

ag

azi

ne/

Ak

tiv

ne

Po

treb

itel

ma

ga

zin

e

% E

uro

pea

n C

on

sum

er

Cen

tre

in S

ofi

a

% D

K/N

A

TOTAL 1001 6.2 37.8 5.7 5.1 5.4 6.7 4.1 3.7 0.1 0.1 1.6 48.7

SEX

Male 519 6.3 38.1 5.5 4.7 6.1 7.3 4.5 3.3 0.2 0.2 2.1 48

Female 482 6 37.4 6 5.5 4.6 6.1 3.7 4.1 0 0 1.1 49.5

AGE (4

categories)

21 – 29 363 6.5 33.5 3.8 4.6 4.7 5.9 3.4 3.8 0 0 1.6 53.7

30 – 34 198 4.2 34.7 4.4 3.1 5.6 5.3 2.8 3.7 0 0 0.6 53.2

35 – 39 187 6.9 39.6 6.1 5.2 4.5 8.8 4.7 3.1 0 0 2.3 46.3

40 – 45 230 6.5 45.6 9 7.6 5.6 7.5 4.1 3.9 0.4 0.4 2.2 40

AGE (2

categories)

21 – 35 606 5.5 34.8 4.1 4.1 5.4 6.5 3.5 3.9 0 0 1.5 52.7

36 – 45 372 7 42.6 8 6.7 4.5 7.1 3.9 3.4 0.2 0.3 1.9 42.9

EDUCATION

(end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 10.1 10.9 2.4 1.4 4.9 17.5 10 6 0 0 0 63.4

16 – 20 614 5.8 34.1 5.8 4.5 4.9 6.9 4.1 3.3 0 0.2 1.7 53.7

20 + 283 4.7 50.9 6.6 7.5 5.9 3.5 2.8 3.6 0.3 0 1.8 36.2

Still in education 32 5.2 44.9 5.2 4 4.2 4.2 4 0 0 0 0 46.9

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 4 39.3 2.7 4.2 6.2 1.2 1.9 2.7 0 0 2.8 50.7

Urban 636 4.8 38.4 6.2 4.7 5.1 5.4 4 2.7 0.1 0 0.8 48.6

Rural 188 13 35.3 7.1 7.4 5.2 15.8 6.5 8.1 0 0.6 3.4 47.3

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 7.7 50.8 9.1 7.8 4.4 10.3 4.8 3 0 1.1 0 30.4

Employee 360 5 45.9 6.7 7.2 8 4.1 3 3.6 0.2 0 3.4 43.7

Manual worker 190 4.3 27.9 5.4 1.5 6.2 9.1 6.2 3.3 0 0 1 58.2

Not working 358 8 31.7 3.9 4.3 2.3 7.2 3.8 4.1 0 0 0.6 53.6


page 39

Table 14. Awareness of institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of consumer rights - Prompted

QUESTION: Q7_A-I. Have you ever heard of?

% of “Yes” shown

Base: those who did not know the institutions or organizations dealing with protection of consumers rights

% T

he

Go

ver

nm

ent,

M

inis

try

% t

he

Co

mm

issi

on

on

C

on

sum

er P

rote

ctio

n

% A

lo

cal

or

reg

ion

al

con

sum

er a

sso

cia

tio

n

% T

he

Fed

era

tio

n o

f C

on

sum

ers

in B

ulg

ari

a

% T

he

ind

epen

den

t U

nio

n

of

con

sum

ers

in B

ulg

ari

a

% A

kti

vn

i P

otr

ebit

eli

or

Bu

lga

ria

n N

ati

on

al

Co

nsu

mer

Ass

oci

ati

on

% E

uro

pe

Dir

ect

% a

co

nsu

mer

m

ag

azi

ne/

Ak

tiv

ne

Po

treb

itel

ma

ga

zin

e

% E

uro

pea

n C

on

sum

er

Cen

tre

in S

ofi

a

TOTAL N 939 623 944 1001 1001 947 1000 1000 985

TOTAL % 61.8 74.5 28.2 45.4 20.6 21.2 8.7 7.8 15

SEX

Male 61.3 72.5 28 42.6 18 18 7.6 7.9 13

Female 62.3 76.6 28.4 48.4 23.4 24.5 9.9 7.8 17.2

AGE (4

categories)

21 – 29 63.6 72.4 21.6 36.8 14.8 23.7 10.9 8.7 14.1

30 – 34 60.3 81.1 27.4 52.1 19.7 19.7 8 6.3 14.5

35 – 39 63.4 75.6 34.5 48.3 24.9 19.5 5.8 8.8 15.6

40 – 45 59.6 72.1 34.7 50.5 25.3 20.4 8.3 7.9 17.2

AGE (2

categories)

21 – 35 63 75.8 24.1 43.3 16.7 22.2 9.6 7.7 14.3

36 – 45 60.3 72.9 35.1 48.7 25.8 19.9 7.3 8.6 16.7

EDUCATION

(end of)

Until 15 years of

age 73.9 45.1 8.5 13.3 10.3 11.2 0 4.7 7.8

16 – 20 61.9 74.6 26.3 40.2 17.2 18.3 6.2 8.1 13.9

20 + 60.2 88.3 36 65 31.4 29.5 15.5 7.6 18.4

Still in education 65.9 68.4 36.4 35.7 7.2 24.8 13.1 12.7 22.4

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 47.3 88.1 28.6 51 23.5 24.1 14.1 8.9 18.5

Urban 64.8 77.9 30.1 48.9 22.3 21.9 9 8.5 14.8

Rural 67.1 52.7 21.6 28.7 12.5 16.6 3.1 5 13

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 46.8 77.3 29.5 47.9 24.4 11.2 15 3.4 17.1

Employee 62.7 83.4 35.1 58.8 28.8 28.3 10.9 8.1 17.6

Manual worker 65.9 73.2 31 39.3 15.2 15.2 5.4 12.8 13.9

Not working 62.4 67.8 19.9 34.4 14 20.1 6.6 6.1 12.5


page 40

Table 15. Consumer rights organisations that were asked for information

QUESTION: Q8_A-H. Have you ever asked any of these (organization/magazine) for information or help?


Base: those who were aware of any organizations/associations dealing with the protection of consumer rights

To

tal

N

% t

he

Co

mm

issi

on

on

C

on

sum

er P

rote

ctio

n

% A

kti

vn

i P

otr

ebit

eli

or

Bu

lga

ria

n N

ati

on

al

Co

nsu

mer

Ass

oci

ati

on

% T

he

Fed

era

tio

n o

f C

on

sum

ers

in

Bu

lga

ria

% T

he

ind

epen

den

t U

nio

n o

f co

nsu

mer

s in

B

ulg

ari

a

% T

he

Eu

rop

ean

C

on

sum

er C

entr

e in

S

ofi

a

% a

co

nsu

mer

m

ag

azi

ne/

Ak

tiv

ne

Po

treb

itel

ma

ga

zin

e

TOTAL 949 5.5 0.6 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.2

SEX

Male 492 5.5 0.8 0.5 0 0 0.3

Female 457 5.5 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 336 2.8 1.2 0 0 0.3 0.7

30 – 34 191 7.9 0.3 1.1 0 0 0

35 – 39 181 7.1 0 0.7 0 0 0

40 – 45 221 6.7 0 0.6 0.4 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 570 5 0.8 0.4 0 0.2 0.4

36 – 45 358 6.7 0 0.7 0.2 0 0

EDUCATION (end

of)

Until 15 years of age 48 0 0 0 0 0 0

16 – 20 583 4.5 0.8 0.2 0 0 0.2

20 + 278 8.4 0 1.1 0.3 0.4 0

Still in education 29 5.1 0 0 0 0 3.6

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 168 4.9 2.1 2 0 0.6 0

Urban 607 6.4 0.1 0.2 0.1 0 0.2

Rural 169 3.1 0.8 0 0 0 0.8

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 88 9.4 0.7 1.4 0 0 0

Employee 347 6 0.2 0.6 0.2 0.3 0

Manual worker 180 5.7 0 0 0 0 0

Not working 332 3.8 1.2 0.4 0 0 0.7


page 41

Table 16. Trusted establishments

QUESTION: Q9. Who would you trust to give you correct information and advice on your consumer rights?

To

tal

N

% T

he

Go

ver

nm

ent,

Min

istr

y

% t

he

Co

mm

issi

on

on

Co

nsu

mer

P

rote

ctio

n

% A

lo

cal

or

reg

ion

al

con

sum

er

ass

oci

ati

on

% A

na

tio

na

l co

nsu

mer

ass

oci

ati

on

% A

kti

vn

i P

otr

ebit

eli

or

Bu

lga

ria

n

Na

tio

na

l C

on

sum

er A

sso

cia

tio

n

% S

ho

pk

eep

ers,

sel

lers

or

ba

nk

s

% F

rien

ds

an

d r

ela

tiv

es

% L

aw

yer

s

% E

uro

pe

Dir

ect

% a

co

nsu

mer

ma

ga

zin

e/A

kti

vn

e P

otr

ebit

el m

ag

azi

ne

% E

uro

pea

n C

on

sum

er C

entr

e in

S

ofi

a

% D

K/N

A

TOTAL 1001 2.4 31.4 6.4 3.4 4.8 4 12.8 9.9 1.2 0.2 3.3 20.1

SEX

Male 519 1.8 29.2 5.4 3.1 4.5 4.1 14.9 10.3 1.3 0 3.1 22.5

Female 482 3.1 33.9 7.4 3.7 5.2 3.9 10.6 9.4 1.2 0.4 3.6 17.5

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 1.5 30.7 3.7 3.5 3.5 3.7 14.9 12.4 2.2 0 4.4 19.4

30 – 34 198 2 33.5 4.8 2.9 6.4 3.5 12.2 10.1 1.1 0 2.9 20.5

35 – 39 187 2.5 30.2 8.6 4.1 3.2 3.9 11.8 6.5 0.9 1 2.7 24.6

40 – 45 230 4.4 33.3 10.6 3.4 5.2 4.8 11.6 8.4 0.4 0 2.6 15.2

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 1.6 31.8 4.3 3.3 4.6 3.7 13.5 11.4 1.8 0.1 3.6 20.2

36 – 45 372 4 31.7 10.1 3.7 4.2 4.4 12.2 7.4 0.4 0.3 3 18.7

EDUCATION (end

of)

Until 15 years of age 56 9.3 19.6 4.4 1.4 0 6.9 25.1 4.5 0 0 0 28.8

16 – 20 614 2.4 30.3 6 2.6 4.5 4 14.1 10 0.6 0 3.3 22.2

20 + 283 1 36.9 8.1 6.1 6.9 3 8.5 9.9 2.6 0.6 3.2 13.1

Still in education 32 4.2 28.6 5.2 0 0 4.2 6.5 10.7 4.6 0 12.4 23.6

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 1 38.2 1.5 6 4.3 0.8 11.1 8.2 1.8 0 8.3 18.8

Urban 636 2.2 32.3 7.1 3.7 5.2 3.2 12.7 10.6 1.5 0.3 2.7 18.5

Rural 188 4.5 22.4 7.9 0 3.6 9.7 14.7 9.1 0 0 0.9 27.3

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 2.5 39.8 5.6 2.5 5.1 3.5 9.6 11.8 2.2 0 3.3 14.2

Employee 360 1.8 35.7 7.1 5 5 3.7 10.6 13.2 1.7 0.5 3.2 12.6

Manual worker 190 1.8 25.8 6 3.5 6.6 5.4 20.5 9 0 0 2.8 18.6

Not working 358 3.4 28.2 5.9 2 3.4 3.7 11.9 6.6 1.2 0 3.7 30


page 42

Table 17. Opinion on the people working at Aktivni Potrebiteli / Bulgarian National Consumer Association

QUESTION: Q10_A. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from Aktivni Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer Association - The people working at Aktivni

Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer Association were helpful

Base: those who asked the Aktivni Potrebiteli / Bulgarian National Consumer Association for information or help

Total N

% Totally

disagree

%

Somewhat

disagree

%

Somewhat

agree

% Totally

agree

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 5 0 0 50.8 24.6 24.6

SEX

Male 4 0 0 33.3 33.3 33.3

Female 1 0 0 100 0 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 4 0 0 33.3 33.3 33.3

30 – 34 1 0 0 100 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 5 0 0 42.2 28.9 28.9

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 0 0 0 0 0 0

16 – 20 5 0 0 42.2 28.9 28.9

20 + 0 0 0 0 0 0

Still in education 0 0 0 0 0 0

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 4 0 0 23.2 38.4 38.4

Urban 1 0 0 100 0 0

Rural 1 0 0 100 0 0

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 1 0 0 100 0 0

Employee 1 0 0 100 0 0

Manual worker 0 0 0 0 0 0

Not working 4 0 0 33.3 33.3 33.3


page 43

Table 18. Opinion on the advice received from Aktivni Potrebiteli / Bulgarian National Consumer Association

QUESTION: Q10_B. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from Aktivni Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer Association - The advice received from Aktivni

Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer Association was useful


Total N

% Totally

disagree

%

Somewhat

disagree

%

Somewhat

agree

% Totally

agree

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 5 0 24.6 11.3 39.5 24.6

SEX

Male 4 0 33.3 0 33.3 33.3

Female 1 0 0 43.1 56.9 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 4 0 33.3 0 33.3 33.3

30 – 34 1 0 0 100 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 5 0 28.9 13.3 28.9 28.9

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 5 0 28.9 13.3 28.9 28.9

20 + 0 0 0 0 0 0


URBANISATION

Metropolitan 4 0 0 0 61.6 38.4

Urban 1 0 0 100 0 0

Rural 1 0 100 0 0 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 1 0 0 0 100 0


Not working 4 0 33.3 0 33.3 33.3


page 44

Table 19. Opinion on the handling of request at Aktivni Potrebiteli / Bulgarian National Consumer Association

QUESTION: Q10_C. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from Aktivni Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer Association - The handling of my request at Aktivni

Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer Association was effective


Total N

% Totally

disagree

%

Somewhat

disagree

%

Somewhat

agree

% Totally

agree

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 5 0 24.6 26.2 24.6 24.6

SEX

Male 4 0 33.3 0 33.3 33.3

Female 1 0 0 100 0 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 4 0 33.3 0 33.3 33.3

30 – 34 1 0 0 100 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 5 0 28.9 13.3 28.9 28.9

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 5 0 28.9 13.3 28.9 28.9

20 + 0 0 0 0 0 0


URBANISATION

Metropolitan 4 0 0 23.2 38.4 38.4

Urban 1 0 0 100 0 0

Rural 1 0 100 0 0 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 1 0 0 100 0 0


Not working 4 0 33.3 0 33.3 33.3


page 45

Table 20. Encouraging others to ask Aktivni Potrebiteli /Bulgarian National Consumer Association for information or advice

QUESTION: Q11. Would you encourage your friends or relatives to ask Aktivni Potrebiteli/ Bulgarian National

Consumer Association for information and / or advice?


Total N

% No,

definitely

not

% No,

probably

not

% Yes,

probably

% Yes,

definitely

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 5 14.9 0 11.3 49.2 24.6

SEX

Male 4 0 0 0 66.7 33.3

Female 1 56.9 0 43.1 0 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 4 0 0 0 66.7 33.3

30 – 34 1 0 0 100 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 5 0 0 13.3 57.8 28.9

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 5 0 0 13.3 57.8 28.9

20 + 0 0 0 0 0 0


URBANISATION

Metropolitan 4 23.2 0 0 38.4 38.4

Urban 1 0 0 100 0 0

Rural 1 0 0 0 100 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 1 100 0 0 0 0


Not working 4 0 0 0 66.7 33.3


page 46

Table 21. Opinion on the people working at the European Consumer Centre in Sofia

QUESTION: Q12_A. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from the European Consumer Centre in Sofia - The people working at ECC were helpful

Base: those who asked the European Consumer Centre in Sofia for information or help

Total N

% Totally

disagree

%

Somewhat

disagree

%

Somewhat

agree

% Totally

agree

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 1 0 100 0 0 0

SEX

Male 0 0 0 0 0 0

Female 1 0 100 0 0 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 1 0 100 0 0 0

30 – 34 0 0 0 0 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 1 0 100 0 0 0

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 + 1 0 100 0 0 0


URBANISATION

Metropolitan 1 0 100 0 0 0

Urban 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rural 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 1 0 100 0 0 0


Not working 0 0 0 0 0 0


page 47

Table 22. Opinion on the advice received from the European Consumer Centre in Sofia

QUESTION: Q12_B. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from the European Consumer Centre in Sofia - The advice received from ECC was useful


Total N

% Totally

disagree

%

Somewhat

disagree

%

Somewhat

agree

% Totally

agree

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 1 100 0 0 0 0

SEX

Male 0 0 0 0 0 0

Female 1 100 0 0 0 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 1 100 0 0 0 0

30 – 34 0 0 0 0 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 1 100 0 0 0 0

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 + 1 100 0 0 0 0


URBANISATION


Urban 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rural 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 1 100 0 0 0 0




page 48

Table 23. Opinion on the handling of request at the European Consumer Centre in Sofia

QUESTION: Q12_C. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from the European Consumer Centre in Sofia - The handling of my request at ECC was effective


Total N

% Totally

disagree

%

Somewhat

disagree

%

Somewhat

agree

% Totally

agree

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 1 100 0 0 0 0

SEX

Male 0 0 0 0 0 0

Female 1 100 0 0 0 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 1 100 0 0 0 0

30 – 34 0 0 0 0 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 1 100 0 0 0 0

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 + 1 100 0 0 0 0


URBANISATION


Urban 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rural 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 1 100 0 0 0 0




page 49

Table 24. Encouraging others to ask European Consumer Centre in Sofia for information or advice

QUESTION: Q13. Would you encourage your friends or relatives to ask the European Consumer Centre in Sofia for

information and / or advice?


Total N

% No,

definitely

not

% No,

probably

not

% Yes,

probably

% Yes,

definitely

%

DK/NA

TOTAL 1 0 0 100 0 0

SEX

Male 0 0 0 0 0 0

Female 1 0 0 100 0 0

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 1 0 0 100 0 0

30 – 34 0 0 0 0 0 0

35 – 39 0 0 0 0 0 0

40 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 1 0 0 100 0 0

36 – 45 0 0 0 0 0 0

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 + 1 0 0 100 0 0


URBANISATION


Urban 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rural 0 0 0 0 0 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 1 0 0 100 0 0




page 50

Table 25. Interest in an independent consumer rights magazine or website

QUESTION: Q14_A. Would you be interested in an independent consumer magazine or website that gives you

results of independent comparative tests of the quality of products and services such as washing machines, mobile

phones, and food products ?


Total N Magazine Website

TOTAL 1001 43.7 58

SEX

Male 519 39.5 53.9

Female 482 48.3 62.3

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 43.5 63.3

30 – 34 198 49.7 60.7

35 – 39 187 43.7 56.4

40 – 45 230 41.1 49.2

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 46.3 62.3

36 – 45 372 40.9 51.5

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 20.4 10.7

16 – 20 614 43.4 51.9

20 + 283 50.8 78.9

Still in education 32 40.5 84.1

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 50.3 73

Urban 636 47.5 63.8

Rural 188 25.9 24.6

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 37.3 57

Employee 360 52.7 71.6

Manual worker 190 36.9 43.1

Not working 358 40 52.1


page 51

Table 26. Would you be prepared to pay?

QUESTION: Q15. Would you be prepared to pay?

To

tal

N

% 2

0 l

eva

fo

r a

su

bsc

rip

tio

n (

10

ma

ga

zin

es p

er y

ear)

% 3

lev

a f

or

a s

ing

le

ma

ga

zin

e a

t a

kio

sk

% 2

lev

a b

y c

red

it/d

ebit

ca

rd f

or

the

resu

lts

of

a

test

via

th

e w

ebsi

te

ww

w.a

kti

vn

ipo

treb

itel

i.b

g

% 1

2 l

ev

a f

or

a o

ne

yea

r p

erio

d o

f a

cce

ss t

o r

esu

lts

of

com

pa

rati

ve

test

s o

n

the

web

site

w

ww

.ak

tiv

nip

otr

ebit

eli.

bg

% D

K/N

A

TOTAL 1001 3.1 9.6 7.3 11 69.1

SEX

Male 519 3.3 8 8.4 10.3 70.1

Female 482 2.9 11.4 6 11.7 68

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 2.8 8.3 7.5 11.8 69.5

30 – 34 198 5.2 8.6 7.6 12 66.5

35 – 39 187 1.8 12.4 8.2 12.8 64.9

40 – 45 230 3.1 10.9 6.5 7.1 72.4

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 3.4 8.9 7.3 12.5 68

36 – 45 372 2.8 11.2 7.7 8.4 69.9

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 3.8 11.3 0 0 84.9

16 – 20 614 3.7 9.5 6.7 8.7 71.4

20 + 283 1.6 10 9.7 18.4 60.3

Still in education 32 5.2 9.2 12.1 7.5 66.1

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 4.1 8.2 11.1 14.2 62.4

Urban 636 2.5 10.9 7 12.5 67

Rural 188 4.3 6.9 4.8 2.9 81.2

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 4.3 7.6 8.4 14.4 65.3

Employee 360 2.5 11.4 8.8 14.8 62.5

Manual worker 190 4.7 7.5 6.4 11.5 69.9

Not working 358 2.5 9.6 5.9 6 76

http://www.aktivnipotrebiteli/





page 52

Table 27. Support for an independent Bulgarian consumer rights association

QUESTION: Q16_A-E. Would you be willing to support an independent Bulgarian consumer association by paying

an annual membership fee...?


To

tal

N

% O

f 12

lev

a,

if t

his

in

clu

ded

on

-lin

e a

cces

s to

10

iss

ues

of

an

in

dep

en

den

t co

nsu

mer

m

ag

azi

ne

wit

h r

esu

lts

of

com

pa

rati

ve

test

s o

f p

rod

uct

s a

nd

ser

vic

es

% O

f 2

0 l

ev

a,

if t

his

in

clu

ded

10

iss

ue

s o

f a

n i

nd

epen

den

t co

nsu

mer

ma

ga

zin

e w

ith

re

sult

s o

f co

mp

ara

tiv

e te

sts

of

pro

du

cts

an

d s

erv

ice

s p

lus

the

pri

nte

d v

ersi

on

as

wel

l

% O

f 4

0 l

eva

, if

th

is i

ncl

ud

ed o

n-l

ine

acc

ess

to 1

0 i

ssu

es (

pri

nt

an

d)

of

an

in

dep

end

en

t co

nsu

mer

ma

ga

zin

e w

ith

re

sult

s o

f co

mp

ara

tiv

e te

sts

of

pro

du

cts

an

d s

erv

ice

s p

lus

the

pri

nte

d v

ersi

on

as

wel

l, p

lus

leg

al

ad

vic

e i

f n

eed

ed

% G

ivin

g t

his

ass

oci

ati

on

a p

erce

nta

ge

of

yo

ur

tax

es i

nst

ead

of

pa

yin

g t

hem

to

th

e G

ov

ern

men

t

% G

ivin

g t

his

ass

oci

ati

on

a d

on

ati

on

wh

ich

y

ou

ca

n d

edu

ct f

rom

yo

ur

inco

me

tax

es

TOTAL 1001 16.9 8.1 5.2 24.4 26.4

SEX

Male 519 16.5 8.1 5.4 22.5 28.2

Female 482 17.4 8 5.1 26.5 24.5

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 20.2 10 5.3 25.1 28.3

30 – 34 198 20.7 11.3 7 24.1 28.2

35 – 39 187 13.8 5.7 5.9 26.3 28.6

40 – 45 230 11.8 4.9 3.6 21.8 20.6

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 20 10.1 5.9 24.7 27.8

36 – 45 372 12.3 5.2 4.5 23.6 24.5

EDUCATION (end

of)

Until 15 years of age 56 3.4 2.3 2.3 10 2.3

16 – 20 614 15.6 7.7 4.8 23.1 22.7

20 + 283 23.7 9.9 5.7 31.8 39.3

Still in education 32 12.1 12.7 16.9 15.3 32.2

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 19.7 7.8 6.6 28 32.5

Urban 636 18.7 9.1 6 26.8 29.4

Rural 188 8.6 5.2 1.6 13.8 11.4

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 19.4 6.4 6.4 35.9 37.4

Employee 360 18.8 8.4 5.1 26.4 30.8

Manual worker 190 18.1 10 6 23 24

Not working 358 13.9 7.2 4.6 20.4 20.6


page 53

Table 28. Consumer rights compared to other EU countries

QUESTION: Q17. Compared to other EU countries, do you think consumers in Bulgaria have the same, less or more

consumer rights and protection?

Total N % Same % Less % More % DK/NA

TOTAL 1001 16.2 73.1 1.8 8.9

SEX

Male 519 16.8 71.9 1.6 9.7

Female 482 15.6 74.3 2 8

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 17 71.3 2.8 9

30 – 34 198 14.6 78.9 1.2 5.3

35 – 39 187 16.4 71.8 1.2 10.6

40 – 45 230 15.2 74.5 1.5 8.8

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 15.9 73.9 2.1 8.1

36 – 45 372 16 73.2 1.5 9.2

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 8.5 61.8 3.1 26.6

16 – 20 614 14.2 75.3 1.7 8.8

20 + 283 20.7 71.5 2.2 5.5

Still in education 32 25.1 71.7 0 3.2

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 19.3 73 1.3 6.4

Urban 636 15.7 74.4 2.2 7.6

Rural 188 15.5 68.7 0.9 14.9

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 14.3 82.9 0 2.8

Employee 360 20 73.9 1.4 4.6

Manual worker 190 12.9 75 1.3 10.8

Not working 358 14.6 68.8 2.9 13.6


page 54

Table 29. Respecting consumer rights compared to other EU countries

QUESTION: Q18. Do you think sellers in Bulgaria respect consumer rights and protection rules the same, less or

more?

Total N % Same % Less % More % DK/NA

TOTAL 1001 6.5 84.1 1.6 7.8

SEX

Male 519 6.3 82.9 2 8.7

Female 482 6.6 85.3 1.2 6.9

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 5.8 84.5 2.1 7.6

30 – 34 198 3.7 86.8 2.3 7.2

35 – 39 187 6.3 85.5 0.9 7.4

40 – 45 230 8.8 82.2 1.1 8

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 5.5 85.3 2 7.3

36 – 45 372 7.3 83.5 1.1 8.1

EDUCATION (end of)

Until 15 years of age 56 7.1 77.1 0 15.9

16 – 20 614 6.6 82.2 2 9.1

20 + 283 5.8 89.6 1.4 3.3

Still in education 32 4.2 92.5 0 3.2

URBANISATION

Metropolitan 172 4.9 88.2 1.8 5.1

Urban 636 7.7 82.8 1.9 7.6

Rural 188 3.9 84.3 0.7 11.1

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 7.1 90 0.7 2.2

Employee 360 6.6 87.5 0.7 5.2

Manual worker 190 7.5 80.4 4.3 7.9

Not working 358 5.6 81 1.4 12


page 55

Table 30. Legal reprisals for cheating or misleading consumers

QUESTION: Q19. In general, would you say that the Bulgarian justice system is efficient in punishing businesses that

mislead or cheat consumers?


TOTAL 1001 8.3 79.1 12.6

SEX

Male 519 9.2 79.3 11.5

Female 482 7.4 78.9 13.7

AGE (4 categories)

21 – 29 363 11.8 75.6 12.7

30 – 34 198 6 84.5 9.5

35 – 39 187 5.8 83.4 10.8

40 – 45 230 6.7 78 15.3

AGE (2 categories)

21 – 35 606 9.6 79 11.4

36 – 45 372 6.1 80.2 13.7

EDUCATION (end of)


16 – 20 614 8.2 78.1 13.7

20 + 283 6.6 85.9 7.5


URBANISATION


Urban 636 8.9 78.6 12.5

Rural 188 8 74.1 17.8

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 91 5.3 86.3 8.5

Employee 360 9.5 81.3 9.3

Manual worker 190 6.7 80.9 12.3

Not working 358 8.9 74.2 16.9


page 56

Survey details

This “Flash 275 – Consumer protection and consumer rights Special Target Survey, Bulgaria - wave

2" was conducted for the European Commission, Directorate-General SANCO, Health and Consumer

Protection.

Telephone interviews were conducted in Bulgaria between the 24/03/2010 and the 28/03/2010 by our

Bulgarian partner institute Vitosha Research.

Representativeness of the results

The national sample was representative of the population aged between 21 and 45 years.

Sample Size

The planned sample size was n=1000 respondents in Bulgaria. In total, n=1001 interviews were

conducted.

A weighting factor was applied to the national results in order to compute a marginal total for the

country in proportion to its population.

Questionnaire

1. The questionnaire prepared for this survey is reproduced at the end of this results volume, in English

(see hereafter).

2. The institute translated the questionnaire in their national language.

Table of results

VOLUME B: RESPONDENTS’ DEMOGRAPHICS

The VOLUME C presents the Bulgarian results with the following socio-demographic characteristics

of respondents as breakdowns:

Sex (Male, Female)

Age (21-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-45)

Age (21-35, 36-45)

Education (-15, 16-20, 21+, Still in full time education)

Subjective urbanisation (Metropolitan zone, other town/urban centre, rural zone)

Occupation (Self-employed, Employee, Manual worker, Not working)


page 57

Sampling error

Surveys are designed and conducted to provide an estimate of a true value of characteristics of a

population at a given time. An estimate of a survey is unlikely to exactly equal the true population

quantity of interest for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons is that data in a survey are collected

from only some – a sample of – members of the population, to make data collection cheaper and faster.

The “margin of error” is a common summary of sampling error, which quantifies uncertainty about

(or confidence in) a survey result.

Usually, one calculates a 95 percent confidence interval of the format: survey estimate +/- margin of

error. This interval of values will contain the true population value at least 95% of time.

For example, if it was estimated that 45% of EU citizens are in favour of a single European currency

and this estimate is based on a sample of 100 EU citizens, the associated margin of error is about 10

percentage points. The 95 percent confidence interval for support for a European single currency

would be (45%-10%) to (45%+10%), suggesting that in the EU the support for a European single

currency could range from 35% to 55%. Because of the small sample size of 100 EU citizens, there is

considerable uncertainty about whether or not the citizens of the EU support a single currency.

As a general rule, the more interviews conducted (sample size), the smaller the margin of error. Larger

samples are more likely to give results closer to the true population quantity and thus have smaller

margins of error. For example, a sample of 500 will produce a margin of error of no more than about

4.5 percentage points, and a sample of 1,000 will produce a margin of error of no more than about 3

percentage points.

Margin of error (95% confidence interval)

Survey

estimate

Sample size (n)

10 50 100 150 200 400 800 1000 2000 4000

5% 13.5% 6.0% 4.3% 3.5% 3.0% 2.1% 1.5% 1.4% 1.0% 0.7%

10% 18.6% 8.3% 5.9% 4.8% 4.2% 2.9% 2.1% 1.9% 1.3% 0.9%

25% 26.8% 12.0% 8.5% 6.9% 6.0% 4.2% 3.0% 2.7% 1.9% 1.3%

50% 31.0% 13.9% 9.8% 8.0% 6.9% 4.9% 3.5% 3.1% 2.2% 1.5%

75% 26.8% 12.0% 8.5% 6.9% 6.0% 4.2% 3.0% 2.7% 1.9% 1.3%

90% 18.6% 8.3% 5.9% 4.8% 4.2% 2.9% 2.1% 1.9% 1.3% 0.9%

95% 13.5% 6.0% 4.3% 3.5% 3.0% 2.1% 1.5% 1.4% 1.0% 0.7%

(The values in the table are the margin of error – at 95% confidence level – for a given survey estimate and

sample size)

The examples show that the size of a sample is a crucial factor affecting the margin of error.

Nevertheless, once past a certain point – a sample size of 800 or 1,000 – the improvement is small. For

example, to reduce the margin of error to 1.5% would require a sample size of 4,000.


page 58

Questionnaire

D1. Gender

[DO NOT ASK- MARK APPROPRIATE]

Male ......................................................................................................... 1

Female ...................................................................................................... 2

D2. How old are you?

______ years old

[REFUSAL/NO ANSWER] .................................................................. 99

D3. How old were you when you stopped full-time education?

[WRITE IN THE AGE WHEN EDUCATION WAS TERMINATED]

______ years old

[REFUSAL/NO ANSWER] .................................................................. 99

[NEVER BEEN IN FULL TIME EDUCATION] ................................ 01

[STILL IN FULL TIME EDUCATION] .............................................. 00

D4. As far as your current occupation is concerned, would you say you are self-employed, an employee, a

manual worker or would you say that you are without a professional activity? Does it mean that you are

a(n)...

[IF A RESPONSE TO THE MAIN CATEGORY IS GIVEN, READ OUT THE RESPECTIVE SUB-CATEGORIES -

ONE ANSWER ONLY]

- Self-employed

i.e. : - farmer, forester, fisherman ................................................ 11

- owner of a shop, craftsman ................................................ 12

- professional (lawyer, medical practitioner, accountant,

architect,...) .............................................................................. 13

- manager of a company ........................................................... 14

- other ....................................................................................... 15

- Employee

i.e. : - professional (employed doctor, lawyer, accountant, architect) 21

- general management, director or top management ............ 22

- middle management........................................................... 23

- Civil servant ...................................................................... 24

- office clerk ......................................................................... 25

- other employee (salesman, nurse, etc...) ............................ 26

- other ................................................................. 27

- Manual worker

i.e. : - supervisor / foreman (team manager, etc...) 31

- Manual worker 32

- unskilled manual worker ................................................... 33

- other ................................................................. 34

- Without a professional activity

i.e. : - looking after the home 41

- student (full time) .............................................................. 42

- retired ............................................................................... 43

- seeking a job ...................................................................... 44

- other ................................................................................... 45


page 59

- (Refusal) ........................................................................... 99

D6. Would you say you live in a ...?

metropolitan zone ..................................................................................... 1

other town/urban centre ............................................................................ 2

rural zone .............................................................................................. ... 3

(Refusal) .................................................................................................. 9

Q1a. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard messages about consumer rights?

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1

No .......................................................................................................... 2 GO TO Q1B

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9 GO TO Q1B

IF THE ANSWER IS “YES”

Q1a_a. Can you please tell me what this/these message/s was/were?

[DO NOT READ - OPEN ENDED - CODE]

[MULTIPLE ANSWER POSSIBLE]

The slogan is

mentioned “In the EU you have consumer rights! Stand up for them! 01 SKIP TO Q2

Message about consumer rights – in general ....................................................................... 02

Messages about consumer rights and the repair of faulty mobile phones ............................. 03

Message about consumer rights and package holidays/hotels ............................................. 04

Message about consumer rights and taking out credit/banks ................................................ 05

Messages about mobile phone repairs / making a monkey out of people–without

mentioning consumer rights ................................................................ 06

Message about package holidays/hotels – sending people for green caviar –

without mentioning consumer rights ................................................... 07

Message about taking out consumer credit - gliding people from the slide –without

mentioning consumer rights ................................................................ 08

Messages about people not knowing their rights as consumer in Bulgaria ........................... 09

Messages about consumers being cheated and misled ......................................................... 10

Other answers ............................................................................................................ 12

[DK/NA] ............................................................................................................ 99

Q1b. Have you, over the past weeks, seen/heard advertisements/news articles saying that you should stand up

for your consumer rights, not let them glide you from the slide, make you into monkey, send you for

green caviar?

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1 SKIP TO Q2

No .......................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

Q1c. Have you, over the past weeks, seen/heard advertisements, messages, information about consumer rights

regarding the return of faulty mobile phones, problems with package holidays/hotels or taking out

consumer credit?


page 60

Yes ............................................... 1

No ............................................... 2 SKIP TO FILTER BEFORE Q2

[DK/NA] ....................................... 9 SKIP TO FILTER BEFORE Q2

Q1d. Have you, over the past weeks, seen/heard advertisements/news articles about consumers knowing their

rights, and therefore not being cheated?

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1

No .......................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

Q2-Q3A-Q3 WILL BE ASKED FROM THOSE, WHO ANSWERED “YES “IN Q1A, OR Q1B OR Q1C

Q2. Where did you see/hear this/these messages about consumer rights?

[MULTIPLE ANSWER POSSIBLE]

On TV ...................................................................................................... 1

On radio .................................................................................................... 2

In a newspaper/magazine ........................................................................ 3

In a brochure/leaflet ................................................................................. 4

On the Internet .......................................................................................... 5

From family, friends & colleagues ........................................................... 6

Other ........................................................................................................ 7

[DK/NA] ................................................................................................. 9

Q3A. Did you find the information you have received through these messages/this information campaign

Very useful ............................................................................................... 4

Useful ....................................................................................................... 3

Not useful ............................................................................................... 2

Not useful at all? ..................................................................................... 1

[DK/NA] ................................................................................................. 9

Q3. Did you find the information about your rights as a consumer in regard to the repair of faulty goods,

problems with package holidays and consumer credit, provided through the campaign on consumer

rights to be….

Agree ........................................................................................................ 1

Disagree.................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

a) Easy to understand? ............................................................................................................ 1 2 9

b) Easy to remember? ............................................................................................................. 1 2 9

c) Convincing? ...................................................................................................................... 1 2 9


page 61

Q4. Where would you go for information or advice about your consumer rights if you have a problem with a

product, a service or a seller?

[DO NOT READ OUT – ONE ANSWER POSSIBLE]

Government, Ministry, Public Authority ............................................... 01

Dial phone number 0 700 111 22 ........................................................... 02

Aktivni Potrebiteli/Bulgarian National Consumer Association .............. 03

Independent consumer association ......................................................... 04

Shopkeepers, sellers or service providers ............................................... 05

Friends and relatives ............................................................................... 06

Lawyers .................................................................................................. 07

The EU contact points ............................................................................ 08

The European Consumer Centre ............................................................ 09

Search the Internet .................................................................................. 10

Other ...................................................................................................... 12

[DK/NA] ............................................................................................... 99

Q5. How would you try to find information and advice about consumer rights?

[READ OUT –– ONE ANSWER ONLY]

By phone .................................................................................................. 1

Send a letter ............................................................................................. 3

Write an e-mail ........................................................................................ 4

Go to www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg .............................................................. 5

Search on the Web.................................................................................... 2

Other ......................................................................................................... 6

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

Q6. Which institutions and organizations/associations dealing with protection of consumer rights do you

know?

[DO NOT READ OUT - RECODE IN THE PRE-CODED LIST - MULTIPLE ANSWERS POSSIBLE]

The Government, Ministry ..................................................................... 01

The Commission on Consumer Protection (KPZ) ................................. 02

A local or regional consumer association .............................................. 03

A national consumer association ............................................................ 04

Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian national consumer association ............ 05

Shopkeepers, sellers or banks ................................................................. 06

Friends and relatives ............................................................................... 07

Lawyers .................................................................................................. 08

Europe Direct ......................................................................................... 09

A consumer magazine/Aktivne Potrebitel magazine .............................. 10

The European Consumer Centre in Sofia .............................................. 11

[DK/NA] ................................................................................................ 99


page 62

[ASK ONLY THOSE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT MENTIONED IN Q6.]

Q7. Have you ever heard of?

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1

No .......................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

A. The Government, Ministry ................................................................................................. 1 2 9

B. The Commission on Consumer Protection (KPZ) ............................................................ 1 2 9

C. A local or regional consumer association .......................................................................... 1 2 9

D. The Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria ......................................................................... 1 2 9

E. The independent Union of consumers in Bulgaria ............................................................. 1 2 9

F. Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian national consumer association ........................................ 1 2 9

G. Europe Direct .................................................................................................................... 1 2 9

H. A consumer magazine/Aktivne Potrebitel magazine .......................................................... 1 2 9

I. The European Consumer Centre in Sofia ............................................................................ 1 2 9

[IF THE ANSWER IS “YES” TO ANY OF THE ITEM IN Q6 OR Q7]

Q8. Have you ever asked any of these (organization/magazine) for information or help?

[READ OUT - ONE ANSWER PER LINE]

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1

No .......................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

A. The Commission on Consumer Protection (KPZ) ............................................................ 1 2 9

B. Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian national consumer association ........................................ 1 2 9

C. The Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria .......................................................................... 1 2 9

D. The independent Union of consumers in Bulgaria ............................................................. 1 2 9

E. The European Consumer Centre in Sofia .......................................................................... 1 2 9

H. A consumer magazine/Aktivne Potrebitel magazine ......................................................... 1 2 9

Q9. Who would you trust to give you correct information and advice on your consumer rights?

[READ OUT – ROTATE – ONE ANSWER ONLY]

The Government and its relevant (consumer rights) ministries .......................... 01

The Commission on Consumer Protection (KPZ) ............................................. 02

A local or regional consumer association .......................................................... 03

A national consumer association ......................................................................... 04

Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian national consumer association ......................... 05

Shopkeepers, sellers or banks ............................................................................. 06

Friends and relatives ........................................................................................... 08

Lawyers ............................................................................................................ 09

http://www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg/kampania


page 63

Europe Direct ...................................................................................................... 10

A consumer magazine/Aktivne Potrebitel magazine .......................................... 11

The European Consumer Centre in Sofia ............................................................ 12

[DK/NA] 99


page 64

IF RESPONDENT ASKED AKTIVNI POTREBITELI OR BULGARIAN NATIONAL CONSUMER ASSOCIATION FOR

HELP (Q8 B = 1)

Q10. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from Aktivni Potrebiteli /Bulgarian national consumer association

[READ OUT – ONE ANSWER PER LINE]

Totally agree ............................................................................................. 4

Somewhat agree ....................................................................................... 3

Somewhat disagree ................................................................................... 2

Totally disagree ........................................................................................ 1

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

A., The people working at Aktivni Potrebiteli/ Bulgarian national consumer

association were helpful .................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 9

B., The advice received from Aktivni Potrebiteli/ Bulgarian national consumer

association was useful ....................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 9

C., The handling of my request at Aktivni Potrebiteli/ Bulgarian national consumer

association was effective ................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 9

Q11. Would you encourage your friends or relatives to ask Aktivni Potrebiteli/ Bulgarian national consumer

association for information and / or advice?

[READ OUT – ONE ANSWER ONLY]

Yes, definitely .......................................................................................... 4

Yes, probably ........................................................................................... 3

No, probably not ....................................................................................... 2

No, definitely not...................................................................................... 1

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

IF RESPONDENT ASKED EUROPEAN CONSUMER CENTRE IN SOFIA (Q8 E = 1)

Q12. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the service

received from the European Consumer Centre in Sofia

[READ OUT – ONE ANSWER PER LINE]

Totally agree ............................................................................................. 4

Somewhat agree ....................................................................................... 3

Somewhat disagree ................................................................................... 2

Totally disagree ........................................................................................ 1

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

A., The people working at the ECC were helpful ............................................................. 1 2 3 4 9

B., The advice received from the ECC was useful ............................................................ 1 2 3 4 9

C., The handling of my request at the ECC was effective ................................................ 1 2 3 4 9


page 65

Q13. Would you encourage your friends or relatives to ask the European Consumer Centre in Sofia for

information and / or advice?

[READ OUT – ONE ANSWER ONLY]

Yes, definitely .......................................................................................... 4

Yes, probably ........................................................................................... 3

No, probably not ....................................................................................... 2

No, definitely not...................................................................................... 1

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

Q14. Would you be interested in an independent consumer magazine or website that gives you results of

independent comparative tests of the quality of products and services such as washing machines, mobile

phones and food products?

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1

No .......................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

A. Magazine ............................................................................................................................ 1 2 9

B. Website .............................................................................................................................. 1 2 9

Q15. Would you be prepared to pay?

[ONLY ONE ANSWER IS POSSIBLE]

20 leva for a subscription (10 magazines per year) ............................................... 1

3 leva for a single magazine at a kiosk .................................................................. 2

2 leva by credit/debit card for the results of tests via the website

www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg .............................................................................. 3

12 leva for a one year period of access to results of comparative tests on

the website www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg ........................................................... 4

[DK/NA] .............................................................................................................. 9

Q16. Would you be willing to support an independent Bulgarian consumer association by paying an annual

membership fee …?

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1

No .......................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

A. of 12 leva, if this included on-line access to 10 issues of an independent consumer

magazine with results of comparative tests of products and services ..................................... 1 2 9

B. of 20 leva, if this included 10 issues of an independent consumer magazine with

results of comparative tests of products and services plus the printed version ....................... 1 2 9

C. of 40 leva, if this included on-line access to 10 issues of an independent consumer

magazine with results of comparative tests of products and services plus the printed

version and legal advice if needed .......................................................................................... 1 2 9

D. Giving this association a percentage of your taxes instead of paying them to the

Government ............................................................................................................................ 1 2 9


page 66

E. Giving this association a donation which you can deduct from your income taxes ........... 1 2 9

Q17. Compared to other EU countries, do you think consumers in Bulgaria have the same, less or more

consumer rights and protection?

Same ......................................................................................................... 1

Less .......................................................................................................... 2

More ......................................................................................................... 3

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

Q18. Do you think sellers in Bulgaria respect consumer rights and the rules regarding consumer protection

the same, less or more than those in other EU countries?

Same ......................................................................................................... 1

Less .......................................................................................................... 2

More ......................................................................................................... 3

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

Q19. In general, would you say that the Bulgarian justice system is efficient in punishing businesses that

mislead or cheat consumers?

Yes .......................................................................................................... 1

No .......................................................................................................... 2

[DK/NA] .................................................................................................. 9

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