The annual European Consumer Day is an initiative of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) which organises an annual discussion of consumer issues, including new developments in the law and challenges faced by consumers throughout Europe.  2021’s theme was “Digital and green transitions: contradictory or complementary? The consumer viewpoint”. 

The main findings of the one-day conference were:

• The digital transition and the green transition are progressing but sometimes run counter to one another because consumers do not have the right information to make informed purchases.
• It is important to empower consumers for the green transition by means of product labelling and promoting the right to repair.
• Digitalisation should serve the green transition and help achieve the EU’s Sustainable Development Goals.
• EU policies on digitalisation and the green transition are not interconnected and this will be the key challenge for the European institutions.
• Consumption must be able to contribute to the sustainability of both the environment and the internal market.