Study on measuring consumer detriment in the European Union : Final report ; Part 1 – Main report

This study developed a methodology to assess revealed personal consumer detriment that robustly measures and quantifies the incidence and magnitude of detriment at EU and national level, taking into account both pre- and post-redress financial detriment and non-financial detriment such as time loss and psychological detriment. It can be applied consistently across a broad array of markets as well as adapted to specific markets. An operational guidance document was developed to guide practitioners based on the work undertaken in this study. The methodology builds on previous studies in different countries and markets. Consumer surveys constitute the main data collection tool. The methodology was applied in six markets (mobile telephone services; clothing, footwear and bags; train services; large household appliances; electricity services; and loans, credit and credit cards) and four countries (France, Italy, Poland and the UK). Results were extrapolated to the EU28. The results show that, across the six markets covered, consumers suffered total pre-redress financial detriment of between EUR 15.4 billion and EUR 47.9 billion, post-redress financial detriment of between EUR 9.6 billion and EUR 33.3 billion and monetised time loss of between EUR 10.7 billion and EUR 25.0 billion over the last 12 months in the EU28.