Throughout the EU, consumer markets are continuing to improve in the interest of consumers but there is still much that could be improved, particularly with regard to the services markets, according to the 2016 consumer market scoreboard published by the European Commission on Monday 5 September.
This scoreboard monitors EU consumer ratings of 42 goods and services markets (29 services and 13 product markets) accounting for 45% of consumer spending. It establishes ratings according to five criteria: comparability of offers, confidence in respect of consumer protection rules, the extent to which expectations are satisfied, retailer/provider choice, and the degree of damages suffered in the event of a problem. The scoreboard confirms the increased pace in the positive trend observed since 2010, with financial services experiencing the most progress. Significant improvements, however, still need to be made in the services and goods markets but the latter are still receiving a better rating than the services markets. Variations between different markets are as significant as they are between member states.
Although, as a whole, the way in which the market are functioning has improved since the last scoreboard in 2014, Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, informed the press that "we need to continue investing in consumers' confidence. We need to keep consumers at the heart. The Commission will take initiative, in the telecom package, for instance”.
On the subject of services, consumers' three top-ranking markets are leisure-related, ranging from holiday accommodation to cultural and entertainment services and sport services, such as gyms. At the opposite end of the spectrum, real estate services, mortgages, investment products, private pension schemes and shares are the least highly performing, according to all the different criteria. With regard to the ratings on how the electricity market functions, this is not operating at an optimal level.
In terms of damages suffered, it is the telecommunications market that is the least highly performing, whether this involves financial losses, loss of time or stress incurred after purchasing or using a product.
Consumers' top three goods markets are books, magazines and newspapers, the market for entertainment goods (e.g. toys and games) and large household appliances (e.g fridges and washing machines). Conversely, second-hand cars, meat-based products and fuels are rated the least highly and obtain the lowest levels of confidence. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)