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Consumer empowerment 2010

Research report

Summary

Research by Amárach Research for the National Consumer Agency found that levels of consumer confidence, knowledge and perceived protection around consumer rights remained broadly consistent with previous waves. Willingness to complain stayed high, with four in five consumers saying they would raise an issue if dissatisfied. Complaints were most commonly related to faulty goods or services, with supermarkets and newsagents most frequently cited, and the research continues to track consumer empowerment trends since 2007.
Publication details
  • Publication date:27 October 2010
  • Industry:Accommodation & food service - I, Construction - F, Supply of electricity, gas & other - D, Telecom & IT service activities - K, Wholesale & retail trade - G
  • NACE code:Retail trade - G.47
Documents
Research report consumer empowerment October 2010PDF | 841 KB
Research report presentation consumer empowerment October 2010PDF | 2640 KB

The research

The National Consumer Agency’s latest consumer research relating to consumer empowerment and complaints shows that:

  • The numbers of consumers who feel confident (73%), knowledgeable (67%) and protected (64%) with regard to their consumer rights remain consistent with the previous research.
  • Consumers who don’t feel confident have increased to 18% (up from 14%) to the level recorded two years ago.
  • Consumers who don’t feel knowledgeable remains the same at 20%, and consumers who don’t feel protected has increased from 14% to 15%.
  • 80% of Irish consumers claim they would be prepared to complain, if a problem had occurred or they are dissatisfied with a good or service purchased.
  • Supermarkets and newsagents were the purchasing category most likely to cause a complaint/return of a good by the consumer. There was also a slight increases in the numbers of consumers willing to complain about TV service providers, airlines and car dealers, which all increased by 4%.
  • The majority (51%) of complaints continue to be in relation to a product/service being faulty.

The research was conducted by Amárach Research, and tracks levels of consumer empowerment since December 2007.

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