The Commission of the European Union (EU) has published its biennial report monitoring consumer sentiment across the EU in connection with consumer conditions in the Union.
According to a press release issued by the Commission in mid-March, the data shows that the majority (70%) of EU consumers believe that retailers and service providers respect consumer rights. In comparison, 61% of consumers trust public organizations to protect those rights.
However, other results complicate those top-level findings. For example, more than 60% of online shoppers say they are more likely to experience problems with their purchases than those who shop offline. Further, 93% of online shoppers worry over targeted advertising, including the collection of personal data and excessive advertising, while 45% have encountered online scams and other unfair practices, including fake reviews and misleading discounts.
And, in the uncertain global economy, 38% of consumers expressed concerns about their ability to pay their bills, as well as 35% worry about affording their preferred foods.
The latest Biennial Consumer Conditions Scorecard is based primarily on data from the Commission’s Consumer Conditions Survey conducted in November 20224.
The EU Commission’s press release on its latest Consumer Conditions Scoreboard is available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_762.
