Press Release: Consumer policy: Scoreboard shows recovery in consumer conditions, finds cross-border shopping trusted more once tried

The spring Consumer Scoreboard published by the European Commission shows a clear recovery in consumer conditions in nearly all EU countries after the steep decline in 2009. The annual index of consumer conditions is measured e.g. by consumer trust in authorities, NGOs and retailers and the effectiveness of handling disputes. The Scoreboard also confirms a growing gap between domestic and cross-border e-commerce, despite a clear potential of cross-border purchases in terms of choice and savings. But the study suggests that consumers are much more confident in cross-border shopping once they have tried it. There are important obstacles to cross-border e-commerce on the supply side, with fewer retailers selling across national borders compared with 2009.

European Commission: Memo/11/154: Consumers at Home in the Single Market? Questions and Answers on the 5th Consumer Scoreboard http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/154&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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