Surveys

European Commission has recently published proposals to promote and enhance the availability of ADR services with the aim of providing consumers with greater access to out of court dispute resolution. Do you think this is a good idea?

Consumers don’t often realise the environmental impact of their shopping choices. Factors such as packaging, energy, transport and disposal costs can vary greatly from one product to another. Sustainable consumption is essential in order to secure a sustainable and environmentally safe future. In general, consumers recognise the importance of purchasing products in a sustainable and responsible way but everyday factors such as stress, price, availability, lack of time can often make this difficult.

With Christmas approaching, family and friends will probably be buying toys for children. To ensure a safe and happy Christmas for all, consumers need to be alert to the safety of the toys they buy. Remember, all toys for sale in the EU must have the CE mark as a sign that the product complies with design safety standards. If the toy does not have the CE Mark do not buy it.

These days everyone is looking for a bargain and shopping online can offer consumers greater choice and value. But what happens if you come across a site offering desirable designer gear at knock-down prices? Counterfeit goods may look like a bargain but they can pose a serious risk to health and safety. Poor quality electrical goods can cause fires and electrocution, while fake makeup can contain toxins such as cadmium and lead. The sites that sell these counterfeit goods are run by criminal gangs and ordering from them exposes you to the risk of having your credit card compromised. As it is very simple to clone a legitimate website in order to sell fake products, consumers need to be on their guard to ensure they dont get caught out.

With a recent survye in the UK finding that one in seven people there intend to use the internet for their entire Christmas shopping this year, we want to know if online shopping is just as popular with Irish shoppers.

When you shop within the EU you can be confident that you enjoy the same basic consumer rights that you do at home. But what if something goes wrong? Do you think it would be harder to sort out the problem? The Commission has developed several initiatives to help ensure that consumers can access redress. The European Consumer Centre Network was established to assist consumers resolve cross border complaints, the development of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes has been encouraged and a European Small Claims Procedure was set up to provide consumers with a less formal means of court action. Do you think that these initiatives ensure you can feel just as confident shopping in another European country or do you think you are better protected when you shop at home?

Hiring a car can sometimes be complex so to avoid extra costs and unexpected surprises, consumers need to be on their guard. Usually the price quoted for car hire is only a baseline and hidden or unexpected charges that can sometimes arise. Annoyingly, even a ‘fully inclusive’ quote can sometimes result in more charges at the airport. Consumers should ensure to read the small print carefully so you know exactly what is included and to double check the cost of optional extras (e.g care safety seat, additional driver) before you book. Always examine the car carefully when you pick it up and record any damage or scratches. As far as possible, return the car during working hours and insist on a detailed inspection being carried out in your presence. If you have to return the car outside business hours, ensure you park in the designated space and take plenty of photos to verify that you left the car back in good condition.

The growth of internet booking means that, for many people, the way we organise our holidays has changed. Booking each element of your holiday independently can offer greater flexibility and choice and sometimes better value. However many consumers don’t realise that by booking their holiday independently, they may find themselves with reduced levels of legal protection if something goes wrong. Currently, package holiday legislation only applies to those who book a traditional package holiday, often sold through a travel agent or tour operator. It is important to be aware of this distinction so that consumers can make an informed choice and avoid a costly surprise should something go wrong.

The European Commission is currently looking at how to facilitate redress in situations where large numbers of consumers have been harmed by the same or a similar illegal practice of a trader. e.g overcharging consumers or misleading advertising on websites The Commission is exploring ways to ensure that such mass consumer claims are solved. Collective redress could be a means to handle this type of claims. Do you believe that it would be worth setting up such a mechanism, and should it be national or EU-wide?