Press Release: Commission presents results of Eurobarometer on consumer protection in the Internal Market

The European Commission has published the results of the Eurobarometer 252 on consumer protection in the Internal Market, 27 September 2006. Over the last few years cross-border shopping has increased in the EU. 26% of EU citizens (EU25) have made at least one cross-border purchase in the last 12 months, compared to 12% in 2003 (EU15). Most cross-border purchases take place when consumers are on holidays or business trips, 19%. E-commerce is becoming a more popular sales channel – in the last 12 months, 27% of citizens made an e-commerce purchase and 50% of those with internet access at home did so. But this online confidence has not yet developed on a cross-border basis. Only 6% of EU citizens made a cross-border online purchase, and only 12% of those who had an internet connection at home. A majority of Europeans are less confident purchasing from providers based in other European Union countries.

European Commission: DG Communication: MEMO/06/349 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/349&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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