2017 Consumer Conditions Scoreboard

Further information:

The 2017 edition of the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard shows that more and more EU consumers are shopping online and that their trust in e-commerce has increased, in particular in buying online from other EU countries.

For retailers, however, the Scoreboard shows that many are still reluctant to expand their online activities and continue to have concerns about selling online to consumers in other EU countries. Such concerns are mainly linked to a higher risk of fraud and non-payment in cross-border sales, different tax regulations, differences in national contract law and in consumer protection rules.

While consumer conditions have improved overall since the last Scoreboard, the levels of trust, knowledge and protection still vary greatly between EU Member States.

Background:

The Consumer Scoreboards provide an overview of how the Single Market works for EU consumers. Published since 2008, they aim to ensure better monitoring of consumer rights and provide evidence to inform policy.

There are two types of Scoreboard, which are published in alternate years and based on large scale surveys:

+ Consumer Conditions Scoreboard;

+ Consumer Markets Scoreboard, which tracks the performance of over 40 consumer markets on the basis of key indicators. The 2016 edition was published in September 2016.

The 2017 Consumer Conditions Scoreboard was published by the European Commission on 25 July 2017.

The Consumer Conditions Scoreboard monitors the consumer environment across Europe through three key dimensions: knowledge and trust; compliance and enforcement; complaints and dispute resolution.

European Commission: DG Communication: IP/17/2109, 25.07.17: EU consumers show growing demand for cross-border online shopping, new survey reveals http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-2109_en.htm

European Commission: DG Justice and Consumers: News: Consumer Conditions Scoreboard: Consumers at home in the Single Market 2017 edition http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/item-detail.cfm?item_id=117250

European Commission: DG Justice and Consumers: 2017 Consumer Conditions Scoreboard [PDF - Alternative Link] http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/document.cfm?action=display&doc_id=45983

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