Publication - European Commission...Consumer attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer...
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page 1
Flash Eurobarometer
Consumer protection
and consumer rights
Analytical Report for
Cyprus- third wave
Fieldwork: June 2008
Publication: June 2008
This survey was requested by Directorate-General Health and Consumers 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 attitudes towards
cross-border trade and
consumer protection
Summary
Fieldwork: September 2010
Publication: March 2011
European
Commission
Flash EB Series #299
Consumer attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer
protection
Survey conducted by The Gallup Organization, Hungary upon the request of
Directorate-General Health and Consumers
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 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
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Table of contents
Table of contents ................................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Main findings ........................................................................................................................................ 5
1. Distance shopping and cross-border purchases ........................................................................... 10
1.1. Distance shopping and cross-border purchases via the Internet, by the postal service and
by phone ........................................................................................................................................... 10
1.2. Cross-border purchases when travelling abroad ........................................................................ 12
1.3. Financial services provided at a distance................................................................................... 12
2. Consumers’ confidence and attitudes towards shopping in their home country and
cross-border ........................................................................................................................ 14
2.1. Levels of confidence .................................................................................................................. 14
2.2. Outlook for cross-border shopping in the EU............................................................................ 15
3. Consumer protection ...................................................................................................................... 18
3.1. Consumer complaints ................................................................................................................ 18
3.2. Problems with delivery of products ........................................................................................... 19
3.3. Unfair commercial practices ...................................................................................................... 21
4. Consumer protection indicators .................................................................................................... 23
5. Product safety enforcement ........................................................................................................... 25
5.1. Perception about safety of food and non-food products ............................................................ 25
5.2. Experiences with product recalls ............................................................................................... 26
6. Environmental impact and purchasing decisions ........................................................................ 28
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
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Introduction
This Flash Eurobarometer “Consumer attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer protection”
(No 299) provides insights into EU consumers’ attitudes and experiences with cross-border shopping
and their perceptions about consumer rights within the EU’s internal market.
This Flash Eurobarometer No 299 is part of a trend survey; earlier waves were conducted in 2006
(Special Eurobarometer No
252)1, 2008 (Special Eurobarometer N
o 298)
2 and 2009 (Flash
Eurobarometer No 282)
3.
The survey obtained interviews – fixed-line, mobile phone and face-to-face – with nationally
representative samples of EU citizens (aged 15 and older) living in the 27 Member States. The target
sample size in most countries was 1,000 interviews; in total, 25,139 interviews were conducted by
Gallup’s network of fieldwork organisations from September 28 to October 2, 2010. Statistical results
were weighted to correct for known demographic discrepancies.
Please note that due to rounding, the percentages shown in the charts and tables do not always add up
exactly to the totals mentioned in the text.
1 Special Eurobarometer 252 / Wave 65.1, http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs252_en.pdf
2 Special Eurobarometer 298 / Wave 69.1, http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_298_en.pdf
3 Flash Eurobarometer 282, http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_282_en.pdf
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
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Main findings
Distance shopping and cross-border purchases
In the past 12 months, 37% of all EU consumers made a distance purchase on the
Internet, 21% used the post (catalogues, mail order, etc.) and 13% made a distance
purchase by phone.
At EU level, there has been a gradual increase in the amount of Internet shopping from
2006 to 2009 (from 27% to 38%; +10 percentage points); this trend was not continued in
the current wave as the proportion of consumer who had purchased goods or services
online in the year prior to the survey remained at 37%.
As could be expected, having an Internet connection at home significantly increased
respondents’ likelihood of Internet shopping; one in two EU consumers – with Internet
access at home – had purchased goods or services online in the year prior to the survey;
this proportion was lower than in earlier years (54% in 2009 and 56% in 2008) as the
absolute number with Internet access has grown.
Roughly half (51%) of all EU consumers used at least one method of distance shopping in
the 12 months preceding the survey, no major change since 2008. There were large
variations between countries, with the overall level of distance shopping ranging from
19% in Bulgaria to 74% in Sweden.
The level of cross-border online shopping in EU countries has remained relatively
low: 7% of EU consumers bought goods or services via the Internet in the last 12 months
from a seller/provider located in another EU Member State, down one percentage point on
last year’s figure (and 4% shopped from a country outside the EU, no change since 2006).
Focusing solely on respondents with Internet access at home, it was noted that 45% used the
Internet to buy goods or services from sellers or providers in their own country, compared to 10%
from a seller or provider located in another EU Member State. The current level of such cross-
border purchases was somewhat lower than in earlier years (for example, 10% in 2010 vs. 13% in
2008).
About 7 in 10 consumers who made cross-border distance purchases spent less than
€500 on a yearly basis (71% vs. 70% in 2009) and roughly a tenth had spent more than
€1,000 (11% vs. 12% in 2009). In 2010, consumers reported making cross-border
purchases worth 653 euros on average (compared to € 785 in 2009 and €797 in 2008).
EU consumers were still more likely to make cross-border purchases face-to-face, i.e.
either when they are on holiday, shopping or business trips, rather than online, by mail
order or by telephone. In the last 12 months, about one in four consumers in the EU (26%
vs. 24% in 2009) purchased goods while on a holiday, shopping or business trip in another
EU country, while only 9% made a distance cross-border purchase within the EU.
Compared to 2006, however, there appeared to be a significant increase in the proportion
of consumers who made purchases when travelling abroad (from 18% in 2006 to 26% in
2010).
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
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Consumers’ confidence and attitudes towards shopping in their home country and cross-border
Almost half (48%) EU consumers said they were more confident when ordering
goods or services via the Internet from sellers or providers in their own country than
from those in other parts of the EU; a third felt just as confident in cross-border e-
commerce situations as they did domestically. Compared to 2008, there appeared to be a
small decrease in the proportion of consumers feeling equally confident about shopping in
their own country as in cross-border purchasing situations (from 35% to 33%) and in the
proportion feeling more confident in cross-border e-commerce situations (from 6% to
4%).
A slim majority (52%) of EU consumers tended to be more confident when purchasing
goods or services by phone or via the postal service in their own country than when
shopping in that way in another EU country.
As in previous waves, roughly one in seven (14%) EU consumers said they would
spend more on cross-border purchases in the coming year than they did in the 12
months prior to this survey.
Among respondents who made at least one cross-border purchase via the Internet, by
phone or via the postal service, 35% thought that, in the next 12 months, they would spend
more on cross-border purchases that they did in the previous 12 months.
Roughly 6 in 10 (59%) of EU consumers agreed that they were not interested in cross-
border shopping because they were worried about falling victim to scams or frauds
when purchasing products or services in another country (34% “totally agreed”).
About 4 in 10 (39%) EU consumers were willing to purchase goods or services using
another EU language; +6 percentage points compared to 2006. Moreover, the proportion
of respondents who totally disagreed that they would be willing to purchase goods or
services in a different language decreased from 42% in 2008 to 36% in 2010.
Although the proportion of EU consumers who said they knew where to get information
and advice about cross-border shopping in the EU has increased by 11 percentage
points compared to 2008 and by eight points compared to 2006; this proportion remains
low (32%).
Financial services provided at a distance
Roughly a tenth of EU citizens purchased or signed up to a financial service via the
Internet, by phone or the postal service in the 12 months prior to the survey: 9% had
signed up to a financial service with a national provider and 1% had done so from
another EU provider. These figures are stable since 2008.
Only 12% of EU consumers – with Internet access at home – purchased or signed up to
financial services via a distance channel, as opposed to 4% of those who did not have
Internet at home.
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
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Complaints, problems and unfair practices
In the last 12 months, about one in eight (13%) EU consumers complained to their
seller or provider when they encountered problems with items. Another 4% did not
complain even though they encountered problems, that is about a quarter of those who had
a problem but did not complain. Compared to 2009, there was an increase of three
percentage points of those who complained to the seller or provider. About half of the
consumers (52%) who complained were “fairly” or “very” satisfied, and 46% were “not
very” or “not at all” satisfied with the way the seller/provider dealt with their complaint,
which represented a small change since 2009 (satisfied: 50%, dissatisfied: 48%).
The reasons most often given for not complaining about a problem were the amount of
money being too small to be concerned about (29%) and a lack of confidence in getting a
satisfactory resolution to the problem (27%). Almost half (46%) of those who complained
but were not satisfied did not take any further action (unchanged compared to 2009).
A sixth of EU consumers (18%) – who used the Internet, postal service or phone to buy
products or services from a national seller or provider in the past 12 months – had
experienced a delay in the delivery of their order and 6% said that the product or service
was not delivered at all. In 2008, the corresponding proportion for “a delay in delivery”
was eight percentage points higher (26% vs. 18% in 2006 and 2010).
Among EU consumers who made distance purchases, in the past year, from a seller or
provider located in another EU country, a somewhat lower proportion (16%)
reported a “delayed delivery” and 5% “no delivery at all”. These figures are stable
compared to previous waves.
In the last 12 months, about 6 in 10 (61%) EU consumers felt they had come across
unsolicited commercial advertisements or offers. 43% felt that they had seen
misleading or deceptive advertisements or offers and 29% had seen fraudulent
advertisements or offers. The survey’s current results were again closer to those observed
in 2008 when 42% of EU consumers stated that they had seen misleading or deceptive
advertisements and 27% said the same about fraudulent advertisements.
A fifth of EU consumers – who had seen misleading or deceptive advertisements or offers
– had actually responded to such an advertisement or offer; this translates to 8% of all EU
consumers having fallen victim to deceptive advertising in the 12 months prior to the
survey.
Of those who had come across fraudulent advertisements or offers, 16% had realised their
error after having responded to the advertisement or offer; this translates to 5% of all EU
consumers having fallen victim to fraudulent advertising in the past 12 months.
Consumer protection indicators
Over two-thirds of EU consumers (69%) reported that they had confidence in
independent consumer organisations to protect their rights (+3 points since 2006).
Although the proportion trusting public authorities to protect their rights as consumers
remained lower (63%), it has significantly increased since 2006 (+7 points).
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
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A growing majority of EU consumers agreed that, in general, sellers and providers
respected their rights as consumers (65% vs. 62% in 2006, 58% in 2008 and 59% in 2009).
At the same time, consumers also felt that they were adequately protected by the existing
consumer protection measures (57% vs. 54% in 2006, 51% in 2008 and 54% in 2009).
In all Member States, except for Hungary, a majority of respondents still agreed that
they would be more willing to defend their rights if they could join with other
consumers who were complaining about the same thing (the overall figures are stable,
from 74% in 2006 to 76% in 2008 to 78% in 2009 and to 79% for 2010).
Product safety environment
The survey recorded an increased level of trust in the safety of non-food products: only one in five respondents in 2010 (vs. one in four in 2009) considered that a significant
number of products were unsafe. About one in six (16%) considered that essentially all
products were safe, compared to just 11% in 2009. It is also worth noting that there was
still a majority (53%; compared to 51% in 2009) that thought that a small number of
products were unsafe. The results of the current survey were again close to those observed
in 2008.
When asked about the safety of food products as opposed to non-food items, respondents’
perceptions were almost identical: 20% of EU consumers said that, essentially, all food products
currently on the market in their country were safe, 52% estimated that a small number of such
products were unsafe and 21% felt that a significant number of food products marketed in their
country were unsafe.
About one in six (16%) of respondents reported having been personally affected by the recall
of a non-food product from the market. In 2008 and 2009 10% of EU consumers said they had
been personally affected by a non-food product recall.
A slim majority of consumers affected by a product recall had contacted the
retailer/distributor or the producer, while 3% had contacted a consumer organisation and
2% had contacted the national public authorities. The survey’s current results were similar
to those observed in 2009; in both waves, those who had been confronted with a product
recall were most likely to say that they had contacted the retailer/distributor (44% in 2009
and 42% in 2010).
Consumers who were not personally affected by a (non-food) product recall were asked to
estimate what would be their action in case they were in such a situation. In these
hypothetical situations, respondents tended to under-report inaction (only 14% stated that
they would take no action, while the EU average among those actually confronted with a
product recall reached 34%).
The most important difference between anticipated and actual behaviours touched
consumer organisations: while 18% of respondents who had not been affected by a
product recall estimated that they would get in touch with such an organisation, only 3%
of those who personally experienced it actually did so. Similarly, 11% of respondents not
affected by a product recall said that they would contact national public authorities in that
case, while only 2% of those who had actually been affected did so.
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
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Environmental impact and purchasing decisions
Roughly a third (32%) of EU consumers said that the environmental impact of
products (or services) had influenced their purchasing decisions in the week prior to
the survey.
A majority (60%) of EU consumers would like information about the environmental
impact of a product to be displayed on the product itself.
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
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1. Distance shopping and cross-border purchases
1.1. Distance shopping and cross-border purchases via the Internet, by the postal service and by phone
The Internet (websites, email, etc.) remained the most common form of distance shopping in the EU.
More than a third (37%) of EU consumers had used the Internet to buy goods and services in the year
prior to the survey; in comparison, 21% of EU consumers had used the postal service (catalogues, mail
order, etc.) and 13% had made a distance purchase by telephone in the year prior to the survey. As the
chart below illustrates, compared to 2006, the current results represent an increase for Internet sales
(+10 points), at the expense of mail order sales (-6 points).
Taking into account all forms of distance shopping investigated in this survey (Internet, postal service
and telephone), it was noted that 51% of EU consumers had used at least one method of distance
shopping in the 12 months preceding the survey. No change was seen in the overall level of distance
shopping in the EU from 2009 to 2010 (52% in 2009); compared to 2006, the current results represent
an increase of six percentage points (from 45% to 51%). The largest proportions of consumers who
had made purchases via at least one distance sales channel in the past 12 months were found in
Sweden (74%) and Germany (72%).
27
27
15
Via the Internet (website, email, etc.)
By post (catalogues, mail order, etc.)
By phone
33
28
16
Via the Internet (website, email, etc.)
By post (catalogues, mail order, etc.)
By phone
38
23
14
Via the Internet (website, email, etc.)
By post (catalogues, mail order, etc.)
By phone
Purchases made “at a distance” in the past 12 months
37
21
13
Via the Internet (website, email, etc.)
By post (catalogues, mail order, etc.)
By phone
Fl299(09/2010)
EBS 298 (02-03/2008)
Fl299 (2010): Q1. Please tell me if you have purchased any goods or services in the past 12 months, by distance in (YOUR COUNTRY) or elsewhere in any of the following ways...? - Via the Internet (website, email, etc.) / By phone / By post (catalogues, mail order, etc.)
Base: all respondents, % of ‘Yes’ answers, EU27
Fl282 (2009): Q1_A/B/C. Please tell me if you have purchased any goods or services in the past 12 months, by distance in (YOUR COUNTRY) or elsewhere via the Internet (website, email, etc.) / by phone / by post (catalogues, mail order, etc.) ?
Base: all respondents, % of ‘Yes’ answers, EU27
EBS 298 (2008): QC1.1/2/3. Please tell me if you have purchased any goods or services in the last 12 months, in (OUR COUNTRY) or elsewhere in any of the following ways? - Via the Internet (website, email, etc.) / By phone / By post (catalogues, mail order, etc.)
Base: all respondents, % of ‘Yes’ answers, EU27
EBS 252 (2006): QB1.1/2/3. Please tell me if you have purchased any goods or services in the last 12 months, in (OUR COUNTRY) or elsewhere. – Via the internet (website, email, etc.) / By phone / By post (catalogues, mail order, etc.)
Base: all respondents, % of ‘Yes’ answers, EU25
EBS 252(02-03/2006)
Fl282(07/2009)
The proportions of consumers who had ordered goods or services over the Internet in the past 12
months were the highest in Sweden (61%), the Netherlands (58%) and the UK (55%). As in the
previous wave of this trend survey, Internet shopping was less common for consumers in Bulgaria,
Portugal, Italy and Romania, with 12% to 16% having done this in the past 12 months.
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 11
61 58 5551 50 50
46 46 46 45 43 4137 36 34 33
29 28 27 25 24 23 22 2016 15 15
12
0
20
40
60
80
100
SE
NL
UK
IE
DK
DE
MT
FI
LU
AT
FR
CZ
EU
27
PL
SK
CY
SI
EE
BE
ES
HU
LV
LT
EL
RO
IT
PT
BG
Q1. Please tell me if you have purchased any goods or services in the past 12 months, by distance in (YOUR COUNTRY) or elsewhere in any of the following ways...? - Via the Internet (website, email, etc.)
Base: all respondents, % of ‘Yes’ answers by country
Purchases made “at a distance” in the past 12 months via the Internet
The Internet is still used to make distance purchases mainly from national sellers or providers. A third
of EU consumers had used the Internet to buy goods or services from sellers or providers in their own
country, 7% had conducted Internet purchases from a seller or provider located in another EU
Member State and 4% from a seller or provider located outside the EU. Cross-border e-commerce has
remained more or less at the same level since the first wave of this survey (early in 2006).
The share of consumers who had ordered goods or services from national sellers or providers
(domestic e-commerce), as opposed to other EU sellers (cross-border e-commerce), varied
considerably across Member States.
Consumers in Luxembourg and Malta appeared to rely mainly on sellers and providers from other EU
countries for their Internet purchases: 38%-39% of respondents in these countries had made at least
one cross-border purchase over the Internet in the year prior to the survey; the corresponding
proportions for domestic e-commerce in those two countries were, respectively, 12% and 7%.
In Cyprus and Ireland, consumers were also more likely to rely on sellers and providers from other EU
countries. Roughly a third (34%) of consumers in Ireland had made a cross-border purchase over the
Internet in the past 12 months, compared to 26% who had made purchases from national sellers and
providers; the corresponding proportions for Cyprus were 22% and 11%. In Austria, domestic and
cross-border e-commerce were more or less equal; 32% of consumers in Austria had shopped online
from national sellers and providers and 30% had made a cross-border purchase over the Internet.
54
53
52
47
38
38
38
35
33
32
32
30
26
23
23
21
21
19 17 17 14 13 12 12 12 11 9 7
13
9
12
6 4
18
9
3
7
24 3
0
8
34
8
4 6 8 11
7 7
2 4
38
8 5
22
3
39
0
20
40
60
80
100
SE
UK
NL
DE
CZ FI
FR
PL
EU
27
DK
AT
SK IE SI
HU ES
EE
BE
LT
LV
RO IT LU
EL
PT
CY
BG
MT
From local sellers/providers From sellers/providers in other EU countries
Q1. Please tell me if you have purchased any goods or services in the past 12 months, by distance in (YOUR COUNTRY) or elsewherein any of the following ways...? - Via the Internet (website, email, etc.)
Base: all respondents% of ‘Yes, from a seller/provider located in (OUR COUNTRY)’ and ‘Yes, from a seller/provider located in another EU country’ answers by country
Domestic and cross-border Internet purchases
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 12
Focusing solely on cross-border distance purchases, it was noted that men (11% vs. 6% of women),
25-39 year-olds (12% vs. 4% of 54 year-olds), respondents with the highest level of education (14%
vs. 2% of respondents with the lowest level of education), the self-employed (14% vs. 5% of non-
working respondents) and metropolitan residents (12% vs. 8% of rural residents) were more likely to
have ordered goods or services via the Internet, by the postal service or phone from sellers or providers
located in another EU country.
1.2. Cross-border purchases when travelling abroad
EU consumers were more likely to have made cross-border purchases face-to-face, i.e. when they were
on holiday, shopping or on business trips, rather than through distance sales channels; in the 12 months
prior to the survey, almost 3 in 10 (26%) EU consumers had purchased goods in another EU country,
compared to 9% of respondents who had made a cross-border distance purchase within the EU.
The proportion of consumers who had made purchases when travelling abroad in the past 12 months
ranged from roughly one in seven (13%-14%) respondents in Portugal and Bulgaria to more than 6 in
10 (62%) in Luxembourg. In Finland and Denmark, roughly half (48%-51%) of interviewees had
purchased goods when travelling in another EU country.
62
51 48 45 43 43 40 39 38 3733 32
28 27 27 26 26 25 2521 19 18 18 17 17 16 14 13
0
20
40
60
80
100
LU
DK FI
IE CY
SE
MT
NL
AT SI
BE
DE
CZ
SK
LV
FR
EU
27
EE
UK IT PL
LT
HU
RO ES
EL
BG
PT
Q2. In the past 12 months have you purchased any goods while on holiday, shopping or business trip in another EU country?
Base: all respondents, % of ‘Yes’ answers by country
Purchasing goods while on a holiday, shopping or on a business trip in another EU country
Full-time students (38% vs. 26% on average), respondents with the highest level of education (36%),
employees (34%), the self-employed (33%) and 15-24 year-olds (32%) were more likely to have
purchased goods when travelling in another EU country.
1.3. Financial services provided at a distance
Roughly a tenth of EU citizens had purchased or signed up to a financial service (e.g. current account,
savings account, insurance policy, mortgage, etc.) via the Internet, by phone or the postal service in the
12 months prior to the survey.
As with the results discussed in the previous chapter, EU consumers tended to buy financial services in
their own country: 9% of EU consumers had signed up to a financial service with a national provider,
1% had done so from another EU provider and 0.2% from a non-EU provider. As the chart below
illustrates, no significant changes have taken place since 2008 in this regard.
Consumers in Sweden and Latvia were the most likely to have purchased or signed up to a financial
service via the Internet, by phone or via the postal service in the 12 months prior to the survey (both
20%). In contrast, this was the case for just 4% of consumers in Italy and 6% in Germany, France and
Portugal.
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 13
10
1
1
87
1
Yes, from a seller/provider located in (OUR COUNTRY)
Yes, from a seller/provider located in another EU country
Yes, from a seller/provider located outside the EU
No
DK/NA
Purchases of financial services made “at a distance” in the past 12 months
9
1
0.2
90
0
Yes, from a seller/provider located in country
Yes, from a seller/provider located in another EU country
Yes, from a seller/provider located outside the EU
No
DK/NA
Fl299 (09/2010) EBS 298 (02-03/2008)
Fl299 (2010): Q4. Have you purchased or signed up to any financial services (e.g. current account, credit cards, savings account, insurance policy, mortgage, etc.) over the Internet, phone or post in the last 12 months?
Base: all respondents, % EU27
EBS 298 (2008): QC21. Have you purchased or signed up to any financial services (e.g. current account, savings account, insurance policy, mortgage, etc.) over the Internet, phone or post in the last 12 months?
Base: all respondents, % EU27
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 14
2. Consumers’ confidence and attitudes towards shopping in their home country and cross-border
2.1. Levels of confidence
Almost half (48%) EU consumers said they were more confident when ordering goods or services via
the Internet from sellers or providers in their own country than from those in other parts of the EU;
very few respondents said the opposite (4%). A third of EU consumers felt just as confident in cross-
border e-commerce situations as they did domestically. Compared to 2008, there appeared to be an
increase in the proportion of respondents who felt more confident when shopping online from
suppliers in their own country (from 37% in 2008 to 48% in 2010); this increase was, however, mostly
caused by the decrease in respondents who gave a “don’t know” response (from 23% in 2008 to 16%
in 2010).
A slim majority (52%) of EU consumers tended to be more confident when purchasing goods or
services by phone or via the postal service in their own country than when shopping in that way in
another EU country; slightly less than half (47%) felt more confident buying something from sales
representatives in their own country than from those from other EU countries. The proportions feeling
equally confident about shopping in their own country or in cross-border purchasing situations were
27% for shopping via the postal service or phone and 29% for buying from sales representatives.
Finally, 39% of EU consumers said they were equally confident when shopping in person while on a
holiday, shopping or business trip to another EU country or when shopping in their own country; the
proportion who preferred shopping in their own country was slightly lower (37%).
54
45
50
44
26
30
29
35
2
2
3
3
18
23
19
18
Purchasing goods or services byphone or post
Purchasing goods or services viathe Internet
Purchasing goods or services fromsales representatives at your home
or work
Purchasing goods or services fromseller/provider whilst on holiday,on a shopping trip or a business…
46
37
46
36
29
35
28
37
6
6
6
6
19
23
21
21
Purchasing goods or services byphone or post
Purchasing goods or services viathe Internet
Purchasing goods or services fromsales representatives at your home
or work
Purchasing goods or services fromseller/provider whilst on holiday,on a shopping trip or a business…
52
48
47
37
27
33
29
39
3
4
3
5
18
16
22
19
Purchasing goods or services byphone or post
Purchasing goods or services via theInternet
Purchasing goods or services fromsales representatives at your home
or work
Purchasing goods or services fromseller/provider whilst on holiday,
on a shopping trip or a business trip
Q6 (Fl299, 2010) / QC16 (EBS298, 2008) / QB22 (EBS252, 2006). For each of the following, would you be more confident making purchases from sellers/providers located in another European Union country, in [OUR COUNTRY] or equally confident in both?
Base: all respondents, % EU27
Fl299 (09/2010)
EBS 298 (02-03/2008)
Level of confidence in cross-border purchases
More confident in sellers from another EU country
More confident in sellers from this country than in another EU country
Equally confident DK/NA
EBS 252 (02-03/2006)
Younger respondents, full-time students, respondents with a high level of education, metropolitan
residents, employees and the self-employed appeared to be more confident than their counterparts
when purchasing goods or services from sellers and providers located in another EU country.
As in 2008, a higher proportion of people in the Nordic countries tended to prefer purchasing goods
or services via the Internet from suppliers in their own country: 57% in Sweden, 59% in Denmark
and 62% in Finland. In the current wave, the Nordic countries were joined by the Czech Republic
(61% had more confidence in domestic sellers than in foreign ones) and the UK (64%).
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 15
Roughly 6 in 10 (59%) of consumers in Luxembourg, on the other hand, were equally confident about
purchasing goods via the Internet from providers/sellers located in their own country and from those in
another EU country. In Spain and Ireland, roughly half of respondents expressed this view (49%-50%).
64 62 61 59 57 54 53 52 52 49 48 48 46 43 43 42 41 41 41 39 36 36 34 34 3227 25 20
25 26 28 36 3530
27 2637
35 33 35 38
2837 34 38 43
50
30 3549
43
28 3334 34
59
1 1 60
1
13 4
24
4 3 2
6
74
94
3
28
38
4
1815 14
6
10 11 6 5 815 18 18
9 12 16 15 1423
1420
12 12 6
2921
13 14
35
1725 27
16
0
20
40
60
80
100
UK FI
CZ
DK
SE
DE
HU PL SI
NL
EU
27
FR
AT
EE
CY IT EL
SK IE BE
LV
ES
LT
PT
MT
RO
BG
LU
DK/NA
More confident in sellers from another EU country
Equally confident
More confident in sellers from this country than in another EU country
Q6. For each of the following, would you be more confident making purchases from sellers/providers located in another European Union country, in [OUR COUNTRY] or equally confident in both?
Base: all respondents, % by country
Levels of confidence when purchasing goods or services via the Internet
2.2. Outlook for cross-border shopping in the EU
Willingness to purchase goods and services in other EU countries
One in seven (14%) EU consumers said they would spend more on cross-border purchases in the
coming year than they did in the 12 months prior to this survey. This proportion has remained
relatively stable since 2006 (see chart on the next page). Almost half (47%) of EU consumers said they
were not interested in making cross-border purchases in the coming year; this results represents a
decrease of 10 percentage points compared to 2006 and 2008.
Men, younger consumers, those with the highest level of education (and full-time students),
employees, the self-employed and city dwellers appeared to be more willing to engage in cross-border
shopping than their counterparts in other socio-demographic groups.
Among respondents who had made at least one cross-border purchase via the Internet, by phone or via
the postal service, 35% thought that, in the next 12 months, they would spend more on cross-border
purchases that they did in the previous 12 months.
The proportion of consumers who disagreed that they were not interested in making cross-border
purchases in the coming year ranged from 31% in Hungary to 67% in Ireland. In total, in 11 Member
States, more than half of respondents disagreed that they were not interested in making cross-border
purchases; from 52% in Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Austria to 67% in Ireland.
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 16
18 1721 20 9 22
21 31 19 30 24 36 33 2925
2432 20
2729
4537
42 31 3034 34 4511 13
13 14 1815 12 12
20 16 1613 15 18
26 2215
23 2725
14 13 1623 22
18 21 17
22 2420 18
24 22
516 21 24 18
21 19 1929 26 19 20 18
21 16 10 1421 17 11
15 1345 42 41 4033 33
4936 31 28 34
27 29 2717 19 24 23 22 17 21
27 2215 18 23 17 18
4 4 6 916
8 135 9
3 8 3 4 8 4 8 10 156 8 4
147 11 13 15 14
7
0
20
40
60
80
100IE LU
DK
FR
BE
CY
MT
AT
NL FI
SE
DE
UK
EU
27 SI
SK
LV IT ES
CZ
EL
RO
BG
PL
EE
PT
LT
HU
Totally disagree Tend to disagree Tend to agree Totally agree DK/NA
Q5. Thinking generally about purchasing goods or services from sellers/providers located elsewhere in the European Union, which we refer to as ”cross-border shopping”, please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with each of the following
statements.Base: all respondents, % by country
You are not interested in making a cross-border transaction in the EU in the next 12 months
Across almost all Member States, less than 30% of respondents said they were not interested in
making cross-border purchases because they did not have access to the Internet. In countries with a
higher level of households without Internet access – such as Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary –
respondents were more likely to agree with this statement (35% in Romania, 36% in Bulgaria and 40%
in Hungary).
Consumers in Luxembourg and Sweden were the most likely to agree that they were prepared to
purchase goods or services using another EU language (72% and 68%, respectively), while those in
Hungary and the UK most frequently disagreed with the proposition (71% and 68%, respectively).
Obstacles to cross-border shopping
Roughly 6 in 10 (59%) EU consumers agreed that they were not interested in cross-border shopping
because they were worried about falling victim to scams or frauds when purchasing products or
services in another country (34% said they “totally agreed” with that statement). A similar proportion
(57%) of EU consumers were not interested in making cross-border purchases because they were
worried that difficulties could arise if there would be a need to resolve problems, such as returning
a faulty product (32% said they “totally agreed”) and about half (47%) of respondents were worried
about the delivery of products purchased in another country (24% said they “totally agreed”).
In a majority of Member States, at least half of respondents were not interested in cross-border
shopping because they were worried about falling victim to scams or frauds when purchasing
products or services in another country; respondents in Greece (74%), the UK (66%), Hungary, the
Czech Republic and Spain (all 64%) were the most likely to express such concerns. In the Netherlands,
on the other hand, 42% of respondents agreed, and 50% disagreed, that they were not interested in cross-
border shopping because they were worried about potential scams or frauds. Consumers in Ireland and
Luxembourg, however, were the most likely to disagree (both 54%).
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 17
5245 40
31 2840
33 3024
3340
34 3326
34 29 3325 29
3728 29 29 26
19 2128
22
2221
2433 36
2128 31 37
2820
25 2633
2529 24
31 27 1824 21 20 22
29 25 1722
1014 15 20 16 20 15 18
25 2412 17
1219 15 16 20
29 2413 18
721 25
1629 28 23
13 18 18 14 17 1714 13
12 14
2018
18
18 2316
1911
14
2124
38
27 24
25
25 2627
2 2 3 3 3 29 9
3 29 5
123 3
115 3 6 11 6 6 3 2
111 2 6
0
20
40
60
80
100E
L
UK
HU
CZ
ES
DE
EE
LT SI
FI
BG
EU
27
PT
SE
FR IT CY
SK
PL
RO
LV
MT
AT
DK
BE
LU IE NL
Totally agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Totally disagree DK/NA
Q5. Thinking generally about purchasing goods or services from sellers/providers located elsewhere in the European Union, which we refer to as ”cross-border shopping”, please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.
Base: all respondents, % by country
You are not interested in making a cross-border transaction because you are worried that you could fall victim to scams or frauds when purchasing goods or services
Men, 25-39 year-olds, those with the highest level of education and the self-employed were less likely
to agree they were not interested in cross-border shopping because they were worried about becoming
a victim of scams or frauds, about difficulties that could arise in the resolution of complaints or about
the delivery of products purchased in another country.
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 18
3. Consumer protection
3.1. Consumer complaints
A sixth of EU consumers answered that, in the 12 months prior to the survey, they had encountered a
problem when buying goods or services in their own country: 4% had not made a complaint about the
problem (unchanged compared to 2009) and 13% said they had complained about it to the seller or
provider (+3 percentage points compared to 2009).
In the 12 months leading up to the survey, 3 in 10 (31%) consumers in Bulgaria had encountered a
problem when buying goods or services in their own country. In Belgium, Austria and Luxembourg,
on the other hand, only about a tenth (all 11%) had encountered such a problem.
Respondents with the lowest level of education and older consumers (aged 55 and over) were the least
likely to state that they had encountered problems when buying goods or services (10%-12%,
compared to 20% of respondents with the highest level of education and 21% of 25-39 year-olds).
Problems encountered when making a purchase
Q9 (Fl299, 2010) / Q5 (Fl282, 2009). In the past 12 months, have you encountered any problem when you bought something [IN COUNTRY]?
Base: all respondents, % EU27
13
4
83
0
Yes - and I complained about it to the seller/provider
Yes - but I did not complain about it to the seller/provider
No
DK/NA
16
2
2
2
77
2
Yes
No, because it was unlikely you would get a …
No, because the sums involved were too …
No, because you did not know how or …
No, you have not encountered any problems
DK
6
EBS298: QC12 In the last 12 months, have you made any kind of formal complaint by writing, by telephone or in person, to a seller\ provider about a problem you encountered?MULTIPLE ANSWERS
10
4
85
1
Fl299 (09/2010) Fl282 (07/2009)
Consumers who had encountered a problem when buying goods or services, but who had not
made a complaint about it to the seller or provider, were asked for their reasons for not doing so.
Two reasons were given above all others: the amount of money being too small to be concerned about
(29%) and the lack of confidence in getting a satisfactory resolution to the problem (27%).
A slim majority of EU consumers – who had made a complaint about a problem they had encountered
in the past 12 months – were satisfied with the way their complaint was dealt with by the seller or
provider: 21% said they were very satisfied and 31% reported being fairly satisfied.
Consumer satisfaction with complaint handling varied greatly between Member States. In Sweden,
Estonia and Luxembourg, more than two-thirds (68%-70%) of consumers – who had filed a complaint
to a seller or provider about a problem – were satisfied with the way their compliant had been handled.
In Malta, Spain and Cyprus, however, roughly a third of respondents who had complained to a seller
or consumer were satisfied with the way their complaint had been handled (32%-35%), while almost
twice as many stated the opposite (60%-64%).
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 19
3423
34 34 3221 19 17
3023 20
2736
1319 18
2821
3023 22
9
25 2013
2212
18
3647
34 30 3141 44 45
3136 37 29
20
43 35 3524
31 2027 27
3618 22
29 1322 14
14 12 1111
20 17 1424
11 18 16 16 22 18 23 21 2719 26
16 21 24 2838
2324
20 27
17 15 18 2414 19 21
1426 20 25 27 21
2023
1918
2723
32 29 28 2917
33 3940
37
0 3 4 1 3 1 3 1 3 3 1 1 2 71
7 2 3 1 3 2 3 1 2 2 2 6 4
0
20
40
60
80
100
*LU
EE
SE
DK
LV IT LT
SK
UK FI
SI
NL
BE
PL
BG
PT
HU
EU
27
AT
FR
DE
RO IE CZ
EL
CY
ES
MT
Very satisfied Fairly satisfied Not very satisfied Not at all satisfied DK/NA
Q10A. In general, were you satisfied or not with the way your complaint(s) was (were) dealt with by the seller/provider?Note: * n<50
Base: those who had encountered a problem and complained about them to the seller/provider, % by country
Satisfaction with the way complaints were dealt with by the seller/provider
Following an unsatisfactory resolution of their complaints, nearly one in two (46%) consumers had
given up and taken no further action. As in the previous wave of this trend survey, the youngest
consumers (15-24 year-olds) – and full-time students – were the least likely to have taken action (55%
and 61%, respectively).
Around one in three of this group of unsatisfied consumers chose to take their complaint to a third
party consumer complaint body: 16% had asked advice from a consumer association or helpdesk, 8%
had complained to a consumer authority and 3% had taken the matter to an arbitration, mediation or
conciliation body. Finally, 7% of these unsatisfied consumers had consulted a lawyer and 2% had
taken the matter to court.
46
15
9
8
3
3
26
2
You took no further action
You asked for the advice of a comsumer association/consumer help desk
You complained to a public authority (consumer authority, regulator or local/regional authority)
You asked for the advice of a lawyer
You brought the matter to an arbitration, mediation or conciliation body
You brought the matter to court
Other
DK/NA
Actions taken after complaints were dealt with in an unsatisfactory manner
46
16
8
7
3
2
26
2
You took no further action
You asked for the advice of a consumer association/consumer help desk
You complained to a public authority (consumer authority, regulator or local/regional authority)
You asked for the advice of a lawyer
You brought the matter to an arbitration, mediation or conciliation body
You brought the matter to court
Other
DK/NA
Q11 (Fl299, 2010) / Q7(Fl282, 2009). How did you proceed further?Base: those who were not satisfied with the way their complaint was dealt with , % EU27
149
34
5123
0
You asked for the advice of a consumer …You asked for the advice of a solicitor
You brought the matter to an arbitration, …You brought the matter to court
You took no further actionOther
DK
EBS298: QC14 What did you do when your complaint(s) was(were) not dealt with in a satisfactory manner? MULTIPLE ANSWERS
Fl299 (09/2010) Fl282 (07/2009)
3.2. Problems with delivery of products
A sixth of EU consumers (18%) – who had used the Internet, the postal service or phone to buy
products or services from a national seller or provider in the past 12 months – had experienced a delay
in the delivery of their order and 6% said that the product or service was not delivered at all. In 2008,
the corresponding proportion for “a delay in delivery” was eight percentage points higher (26% vs.
18% in 2010); the current results, however, were again closer to those observed in 2006.
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 20
Among EU consumers who had made at least one distance purchase, in the past year, from a seller or
provider located in another EU country, 16% had experienced a delay in the delivery of their order
(two percentage points lower than for domestic purchases – see above) and said that the product or
service was not delivered at all (one percentage point lower than for domestic purchases). Among EU
consumers who had made at least one distance purchase from a seller or provider outside the EU, 19%
reported a “delayed delivery” and 6% “no delivery at all”.
18
5
17
4
15
5
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider
located in [COUNTRY]
You purchased something from aseller/provider located in [COUNTRY]
and it was not delivered at all
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider
located in another EU country
You purchased something from aseller/provider located in another EUcountry and it was not delivered at all
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider
located outside the EU
You purchased something from aseller/provider located outside the EU
and it was not delivered at all
26
5
15
7
17
5
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider located
in [COUNTRY]
You purchased something from aseller/provider located in [COUNTRY]
and it was not delivered at all
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider located
in another EU country
You purchased something from aseller/provider located in another EUcountry and it was not delivered at all
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider located
outside the EU
You purchased something from aseller/provider located outside the EU
and it was not delivered at all
Delay in delivery and non-delivery of goods or services purchased by distance
18
6
16
5
19
6
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider
located in country
You purchased something from aseller/provider located in country and
it was not delivered at all
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider
located in another EU country
You purchased something from aseller/provider located in another EUcountry and it was not delivered at all
A delay in the delivery of somethingpurchased from a seller/provider
located outside the EU
You purchased something from aseller/provider located outside the EU
and it was not delivered at all
Q3 (Fl299, 2010) / QC8 (EBS 298, 2008) / QB4 (EBS 252, 2006). During the past 12 months have any of the following situations happened to you when purchasing something at a distance in (OUR COUNTRY) or elsewhere?
% EU27 in 2010-2008% EU25 in 2006
Fl299(09/2010)
EBS 298 (02-03/2008)
EBS 252 (02-03/2006)
Base: those who had made at least one distance purchase from a seller or provider in their own country
Base: those who had made at least one distance purchase from a seller or provider in another EU country
Base: those who had made at least one distance purchase from a seller or provider in a non-EU country
Focusing solely on respondents who had made at least one distance purchase in the past 12 months, the
total proportion of respondents who had experienced problems with the delivery of such distance
purchases from national sellers or from sellers in other EU countries ranged from 10% in Lithuania to
27%-28% in Malta, the Netherlands and Ireland.
28 28 2725 24 23 23 22 22 21 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 19 19 18 18 18 17 17
15 15 14
10
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
IE
NL
MT
FR
UK
DE
SE
CY
EU
27
FI
EE
IT
SK
LU
AT
BE
EL
CZ
PL
RO
PT
BG
DK
ES
HU SI
LV
LT
Q3. During the past 12 months have any of the following situations happened to you when purchasing something at a distance in (OUR COUNTRY) or elsewhere?
Base: those who had made at least one purchace via the Internet, by phone or post, % by country
Overall level of problems with delivery of distance purchases (domestic and cross-border)
Among respondents who had made at least one distance purchase in the past 12 months, 25-39 year-
olds, full-time students, those with the highest level of education, employees and manual workers were
more likely to have had problems with the delivery of a distance purchase.
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 21
3.3. Unfair commercial practices
In the 12 months prior to the survey, 61% of EU consumers said that they had come across unsolicited
commercial advertisements, statements or offers (cold calls, spam emails etc.), 43% stated that they
had come across misleading or deceptive advertisements or offers and 29% reported having seen what
they believed to be fraudulent advertisements or offers4.
A fifth of EU consumers – who had seen misleading or deceptive advertisements or offers – had
actually responded to such an advertisement or offer; this translates to 8% of all EU consumers having
fallen victim to deceptive advertising in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Of those who had come across fraudulent advertisements or offers, 16% had realised their error after
having responded to the advertisement or offer; this translates to 5% of all EU consumers having
fallen victim to fraudulent advertising in the past 12 months.
Men, the self-employed and employees, those with the highest level of education, full-time students
and metropolitan respondents were more likely than their counterparts to have come across
unsolicited, misleading or fraudulent advertisements.
60
54
10
36
7
39
43
43
61
29
46
64
0
3
0
4
0
Came across unsolicited commercialadvertisements, statements or offers
(cold calls, spam emails, etc.)
Came across misleading or deceptiveadvertisements, statements or offers
Responded to an advertisement oroffer that turned out to be misleading
or deceptive
Came across fraudulentadvertisements, statements or offers
Responded to an advertisement oroffer that turned out to be fraudulent
Yes No Not applicable DK/NA
Unsolicited or misleading advertisments or offers
Q8(Fl299, 2010) / Q3(Fl282, 2009). Have any of the following happend to you in the past 12 months?Base: all respondents, % EU27
61
43
8
29
5
38
52
34
64
24
58
71
1
6
0
7
0
Came across unsolicited commercialadvertisements, statements or offers
(cold calls, spam emails, etc.)
Came across misleading or deceptiveadvertisements, statements or offers
Responded to an advertisement oroffer that turned out to be misleading
or deceptive
Came across fraudulentadvertisements, statements or offers
Responded to an advertisement oroffer that turned out to be fraudulent
EBS298: QC5 Have any of the following happened to you in the last 12 months in (OUR COUNTY) or elsewhere? Answer categories and base were different.These are calculated proportions:
58
42
9
27
6
41
53
90
68
93
1
5
1
5
1
Came across unsolicited…
Came across misleading or…
Responded to an advertisement…
Came across fraudulent…
Responded to an advertisement…
Yes No DK/NA
Fl299 (09/2010) Fl282 (07/2009)
Finland recorded the highest proportion of consumers who said they had been exposed to unsolicited
commercial advertisements or offers in the 12 months prior to the survey (80%). In accordance with
the results of the previous wave, consumers in France and Spain were also among the most likely to
have come across these kinds of unfair practices (71%-72%); similar proportions were, however, also
observed in Austria and Sweden (71%-73%).
4 Misleading or deceptive advertisements are those which contain false information or present factually correct information,
about the goods or services to be sold, in a misleading manner. Fraudulent advertisements actually attempt to obtain money
without selling anything, for example a lottery scam.
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 22
8073 72 71 71 68 68 65 65 62 61 61 61 58 58 58 58 56 55 55 55 52 52 51 49 48 45
39
0
20
40
60
80
100
FI
SE
ES
FR
AT
DK
MT
EL
DE
LU
EU
27
IT
HU SI
PL
CZ
BE
EE IE LV
NL
UK
SK
PT
CY
LT
BG
RO
Q8. Have any of the following happend to you in the past 12 months?Base: all respondents, % of ‘Yes’ answers by country
Experience with unsolicited commercial advertisements, statements or offers (cold calls, spam emails, commercial SMS, etc.)
A majority of consumers in Greece (57%), Austria (58%), Spain and Finland (both 60%) said they had
experienced what they perceived as misleading or deceptive advertisements or offers; in Italy, on
the other hand, just 25% of consumers had seen such advertisements or offers in the past 12 months.
Latvia and Portugal were close to Italy with a third (32%-34%) of respondents who had come across
misleading or deceptive advertisements or offers.
Consumers in Italy were not only the least likely to have come across misleading or deceptive
advertisements or offers, they were also the least likely to have seen what they perceived as
fraudulent advertisements, statements or offers (10%). In Belgium, Malta and Portugal, about a
fifth of respondents said they had had experience with what they perceived as fraudulent offers or
advertisements, while in Greece, Sweden and Austria, more than twice as many consumers had seen
such offers or advertisements (47%-51%).
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 23
4. Consumer protection indicators
Consumer protection measures and the role of consumer support bodies
More than two-thirds of EU consumers had confidence in independent consumer organisations to
protect their rights as consumers: 69%, in total, agreed with this statement; +3 percentage points since
2006. Although the proportion trusting public authorities to protect their rights as consumers remained
lower (63%), it has significantly increased since 2006 (+7 points). Furthermore, a growing majority of
EU consumers agreed that, in general, sellers and providers respected their rights as consumers (65%
vs. 62% in 2006, 58% in 2008 and 59% in 2009). Finally, more consumers felt that they were
adequately protected by the existing consumer protection measures (57% vs. 54% in 2006, 51% in
2008 and 54% in 2009).
29
17
10
11
9
10
7
45
49
52
45
45
32
25
10
16
21
25
26
26
30
5
6
6
9
8
10
15
11
12
11
9
12
21
22
You would be more willingto defend your rights in
court if you could join withother consumers who…
You trust independentconsumer organisations to
protect your rights as aconsumer
In general,sellers/providers in (OURCOUNTRY) respect your
rights as a consumer
You trust public authoritiesto protect your rights as a
consumer
Yot feel that you areadequately protected by
existing measures toprotect consumers
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through an arbitration,mediation or conciliation…
You have changed yourconsumer behaviour as a
result of a media story (e.g.changed shop or product)
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through the courts
Not asked
33
16
9
10
9
8
6
43
48
50
44
42
31
24
9
17
25
27
29
28
32
5
7
8
10
10
13
18
10
12
8
9
10
20
20
You would be more willingto defend your rights in
court if you could join withother consumers who…
You trust independentconsumer organisations to
protect your rights as aconsumer
In general,sellers/providers in (OURCOUNTRY) respect your
rights as a consumer
You trust public authoritiesto protect your rights as a
consumer
Yot feel that you areadequately protected by
existing measures toprotect consumers
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through an arbitration,mediation or conciliation…
You have changed yourconsumer behaviour as a
result of a media story (e.g.changed shop or product)
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through the courts
Not asked
28
14
8
9
8
6
11
3
50
50
50
45
46
32
28
19
11
18
27
26
27
25
37
26
4
6
7
11
9
10
19
12
8
12
8
9
9
27
6
39
You would be more willingto defend your rights in
court if you could join withother consumers who…
You trust independentconsumer organisations to
protect your rights as aconsumer
In general,sellers/providers in (OURCOUNTRY) respect your
rights as a consumer
You trust public authoritiesto protect your rights as a
consumer
Yot feel that you areadequately protected by
existing measures toprotect consumers
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through an arbitration,mediation or conciliation…
You have changed yourconsumer behaviour as a
result of a media story (e.g.changed shop or product)
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through the courts
36
23
14
18
14
13
14
8
43
46
51
45
43
35
26
25
9
15
21
20
24
21
29
24
5
8
7
11
11
11
25
16
7
9
7
6
8
20
6
27
You would be more willingto defend your rights in
court if you could join withother consumers who…
You trust independentconsumer organisations to
protect your rights as aconsumer
In general,sellers/providers in (OURCOUNTRY) respect your
rights as a consumer
You trust public authoritiesto protect your rights as a
consumer
Yot feel that you areadequately protected by
existing measures toprotect consumers
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through an arbitration,mediation or conciliation…
You have changed yourconsumer behaviour as a
result of a media story (e.g.changed shop or product)
It is easy to resolve disputeswith sellers/providers
through the courts
Q12 (Fl299, 2010) / Q10 (Fl282, 2009) / QC20 (EBS298, 2008) / QB28 (EBS252, 2006). For each of the following statements, please tell me if you agree or disagree with it. In (OUR COUNTRY)...
Base: all respondents, % EU27
Aspects of consumer protection
Fl299 and Fl282/EBS298 and EBS252: Strongly agree/Totally agree Agree/ Tend to agree
Disagree/Tend to disagree Strongly disagree/Totally disagree DK/NA
Fl299
(09/2010)
Fl282
(07/2009)
EBS 298
(02-03/2008)You would be more willing to defendyour rights in court if you could join
with other consumers who werecomplaining about the same thing
You trust independent consumerorganisations to protect your rights
as a consumer
In general, sellers/providers in(OUR COUNTRY) respect your
rights as a consumer
You trust public authorities toprotect your rights as a consumer
Yot feel that you are adequatelyprotected by existing measures to
protect consumers
It is easy to resolve disputes withsellers/providers through an
arbitration, mediation orconciliation body
You have changed your consumerbehaviour as a result of a media
story (e.g. changed shop or product)
It is easy to resolve disputes withsellers/providers through the courts
EBS 252
(02-03/2006)
About 8 in 10 (79%) EU consumers agreed that they would be more willing to defend their rights in
court if they could join with other consumers who were complaining about the same thing. Almost half
(48%) of respondents agreed it was easy to resolve disputes with sellers and providers through an
arbitration, mediation or conciliation body and a third said the same about resolving disputes
through the courts. A considerable proportion of EU consumers had doubts, or lacked knowledge,
about the functioning of these two bodies that exist to resolve disputes; 20% and 27%, respectively,
gave a “don’t know” response.
For all the statements about consumer confidence, similar countries were each time found at the higher
and lower ends of the country rankings; consumers in Bulgaria, Romania and Lithuania were
consistently among the least likely to agree with the statements, while those in the UK and Ireland
were each time among the most likely to express agreement.
For example, in Ireland and the UK, at least 8 in 10 consumers agreed that they trusted public
authorities to protect their rights as consumers (80%-82%); in Lithuania, on the other hand, less than
half as many respondents agreed with this proposition (37%). Roughly one in two (49%) Lithuanians
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 24
expressed distrust in the public authorities’ protection of their consumer rights; similar levels of
disagreement were observed in Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia (48%-53%).
3226 24
3122 25
17 16
39
17 18 19 21 18 16 14 17 16 15 15 16 11 7 7 115
135
5054 54
4753 48
56 53
30
51 49 47 44 45 42 43 40 40 40 40 34 39 41 38 3337
2932
9 11 13 10 16 15 1916 11 15 19 21 19 20
21 2519 21 22 18 23
3431
3026
3528 33
6 7 65
5 7 510
9 57 10 13 11
1012
13 9 1611
2311
9 13 2218
23 16
3 2 3 8 3 4 3 511 12 7 4 3 6 12 6 11 14
816
4 613 12 9 4 8
14
0
20
40
60
80
100
UK IE LU
AT
DK
SE FI
IT
MT
HU
NL
DE
CY
EU
27
BE
ES
LV
EE
FR
PT
EL
CZ
SK
PL
RO SI
BG
LT
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree DK/NA
Q12. For each of the following statements, please tell me if you agree or disagree with it. In (OUR COUNTRY)... Base: all respondents, % by country
You trust public authorities to protect your rights as a consumer
Influence of the media
The country results for the last statement that respondents had changed their consumer behaviour as
a result of a media story showed a very different picture. In just three countries, half – or more –
consumers agreed with this statement: Greece (50%), Italy (55%) and Ireland (57%). In 2009, these
three countries were also characterised by the highest levels of agreement.
21 1625
18 14 1624
17 13 9 14 14 12 13 814 17 12 9 9 13 17 14 13 13 9 7 6
36 39 2529 31 29 19
26 29 33 27 26 27 25 30 23 20 25 28 27 23 18 21 20 2019 17 18
2918 26 34 32 34
1225
33 33 3629 31 35
43
28 29 30 3441
24 2131
24 3032 33 33
13
20 19 15 19 16
3620
2010
2125 24 18
1732 26 21
2116
35 3730
40 26 3736
26
2 7 5 4 3 5 10 125
152 6 6 9
3 3 8 13 9 8 5 6 4 312
3 718
0
20
40
60
80
100
IE IT EL
UK
CY
CZ
MT
RO
DK
LT FI
EU
27
ES
PL SI
DE
BG
EE
NL
SK
SE
AT
LV
FR
BE
LU
HU PT
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree DK/NA
Q12. For each of the following statements, please tell me if you agree or disagree with it. In (OUR COUNTRY)... Base: all respondents, % by country
You have changed your consumer behaviour as a result of a media story (e.g. they have changed where they shop or bought a different product)
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 25
5. Product safety enforcement
5.1. Perception about safety of food and non-food products
A majority of EU consumers thought that only a small number of non-food products currently on the
market in their country were unsafe: 16% answered that essentially all such products were safe and
53% felt that a small number of non-food products were unsafe. A fifth of EU consumers, however,
reasoned that a significant number of non-food products marketed in their country were unsafe.
At the time of the last survey, a comparison of the 2008 and 2009 results appeared to show a growing
mistrust of the safety of non-food products: for example, 25% of respondents in 2009, compared to
18% in 2008, thought that a significant number of products currently on the market in their country
were unsafe. The results of the current survey, however, were again closer to those observed in 2008:
for example, both in 2008 and in 2010, somewhat less than a sixth of respondents answered that
essentially all such products were safe (16%-17%).
When asked about the safety of food products as opposed to non-food items, respondents’ perceptions
were similar: 20% of EU consumers said that, essentially, all food products currently on the market in
their country were safe, 52% estimated that a small number of such products were unsafe and 21% felt
that a significant number of food products marketed in their country were unsafe.
Perceived safety of products currently on the market
16
53
20
65
Non-food products
Q13. Thinking about all non-food products currently on the market in (YOUR COUNTRY), do you think that...?Base: all respondents, % EU27
Q14. And thinking about all food products currently on the market in (YOUR COUNTRY), do you think that...?Base: all respondents, % EU27
Food products
20
51
21
5 3Essentially all products are safe
A small number of products are unsafe
A significant number of products are unsafe
Depends on the product
DK/NA
Consumers in Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania were also the most likely to think that
that a significant number of food products marketed in their country were unsafe; this proportion
ranged from 35% in Latvia to 50% in Romania.
In Finland, on the other hand, just 3% of respondents thought that a significant number of food
products currently on the market were unsafe, while 41% said that the opposite – i.e. that essentially
all food products were safe. Around a third of consumers (33%-35%) shared this latter view in Spain,
Portugal and Luxembourg.
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 26
4135 34 33 31 31 31 31 27 27 26 24 21 20 19 17 17 16 16 15 15 15 12 8 7 6 5 2
53
43 4355
5140
57 55 6149
4454 56
5148 56 54
4961
51 52 5062
29
50
3446
36
3
1410
89
10
9 11 9
1312
1412 21 27
2218
21
1724 24 32
23
50
35
45
46
46
26
7
37
15
1 1 16 14
3 9 5 4 2 8 95 9 7
1 111 4
10
1
11
1 2 7 1 3 5 3 2 2 6 4 5 2 3 3 3 3 4 2 2 3 2 2 3 4 6 2 5
0
20
40
60
80
100
FI
ES
PT
LU
NL
BE IE AT
UK
MT
EE
SK
CZ
EU
27
FR SI
DK
PL
SE IT
HU
CY
DE
RO
LV
LT
EL
BG
Essentially all food products are safe A small number of food products are unsafe
A significant number of food products are unsafe Depends on the product
DK/NA
Q14. And thinking about all food products currently on the market in (YOUR COUNTRY), do you think that...?Base: all respondents, % by country
Perceived safety of food products currently on the market
5.2. Experiences with product recalls
In total, less than a sixth of EU consumers said they had been personally affected by a product recall;
equal numbers existed for the recalls of non-food and food products. More precisely, 3% of EU
consumers mentioned that they had been affected by both a food and non-food product recall, 7% had
only been affected by the former and 6% by the latter.
54
3225 25 22 19 19 19 18 18 17 16 16 15 15 15 14 14 13 13 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 60
20
40
60
80
100
EL
CY
LT SI
PL
LV
EE FI
LU ES
BE
BG
DE
NL
EU
27
SE
FR
SK IE DK
UK
RO
CZ
PT
AT
MT
HU IT
Q15. Have you ever been personally affected by recall of a product from the market?Base: all respondents, % of ‘yes, a food product’, ‘yes, a non-food product’ and ‘yes ,both’ answers by country
Consumers personally affected by product recalls (food and non-food products)
Among consumers who had been personally affected by product recalls, roughly a third (34%) had
not taken any action. A slim majority (55%) of consumers affected by a product recall had contacted
the retailer or the producer, while 3% had contacted a consumer organisation and 2% had contacted the
national public authorities.
Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection Summary
page 27
27
44
18
3
2
12
5
1
You did / would not take any action
You contacted / would contact theretailer/distributor
You contacted / would contact the producer
You contacted / would contact a consumerorganisation
You contacted / would contact the nationalpublic authorities
You took some other action / You would dosomething other than the mentioned…
Other
DK/NA
Actions taken in case of a product recall
34
42
13
3
2
10
3
1
You did take any action
You contacted the retailer/distributor
You contacted the producer
You contacted a consumer organisation
You contacted the national public authorities
You took some other action
Other
DK/NA
Q16A (Fl299, 2010 – food and non-food product recalls) / Q16A (Fl282, 2009 – only non-food product recalls). What did you do in that situation?
Base: respondents who had been personally affected by a product recall , % EU27
Fl299 (09/2010) Fl282 (07/2009)Note: only non-food products
Consumers who had not been personally affected by a product recall were asked to estimate what
action they would take in the case that they would be affected by a non-food product recall; in line with
consumers’ actual behaviour, the largest proportion stated that they would contact the retailer (52%).
Contacting the retailer or distributor was the most frequently anticipated reaction to a potential product
recall across all countries surveyed; the proportion selecting this response ranged from 20% in
Lithuania to 74% in the UK.
Summary Flash EB No 299 – Cross-border trade and consumer protection
page 28
6. Environmental impact and purchasing decisions
Roughly a third (32%) of EU consumers said that the environmental impact of products (or services)
had influenced their purchasing decisions in the week prior to the survey. In Greece, a slim majority
(55%) of consumers said that, in the past week, they had considered the environmental impact of
products (or services) when deciding which ones to buy. In Romania, Estonia, Bulgaria and Lithuania,
on the other hand, less than a fifth of respondents gave a similar response (between 15% and 18%).
5548 48 47 44 43 43 42 40 39 39 38 37 36 35 32 32 32
29 27 27 27 26 2518 17 16 15
0
20
40
60
80
100
EL SI
MT
BE
HU SE
DK
AT
PT
NL
FR FI
LU IT CY
EU
27
ES
IE CZ
PL
DE
SK
UK
LV
LT
BG
EE
RO
Q17. Considering everything you bought last week; did the environmental impact of any product (or service) influence your choice? Base: all respondents, % of ’Yes’ answers by country
Does a product’s environmental impact influence consumers’ purchasing decisions?
EU consumers were also asked, in the event that they would want to learn more about the
environmental impact of a product or service that they would like to buy, how they would like to
receive this information. A majority (60%) of EU consumers would like information about the
environmental impact of a product to be displayed on the product itself. Roughly a fifth (21%) of EU
consumers would prefer to
receive such information in
the store when buying the
product or service, while a
minority (5%) would prefer
to find the information on the
Internet (via a website or
home page).
Across almost all EU
Member States, a majority of
consumers would prefer that
information about the
environmental impact of a
product was displayed on the
product itself; consumers in
Hungary and Austria were the
most likely to select this
response (76%-78%).
Preferred display method for information about the environmental impact of products and services
Q18. If you consider environmental impact when purchasing product / service, where would you like the environmental impacts of products (or for services) to be displayed?
Base: all respondents, % EU27
6021
5
10
6On the product (if not a service)
Displayed in the store / when it is soldto me
On the internet/homepage/website
No, I would not consider environmentalimpact of products/services
DK/NA