CONSUMERS RIGHTS IN ROMANIA

Transcription

1 Flash Eurobarometer 333 CONSUMERS RIGHTS IN ROMANIA SUMMARY Fieldwork: October 2011 Publication: June 2012 This survey has been requested by Directorate-General for Health and Consumers Affairs (SANCO) and co-ordinated by Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM Research and Speechwriting Unit). This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission. The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors. Flash Eurobarometer TNS Political & Social

2 SPECIAL EUROBAROMET Flash Eurobarometer 333 Consumers rights in Romania Conducted by TNS Political & Social at the request of Directorate- General for Health and Consumers Affairs (SANCO) Survey co-ordinated by Directorate-General for Communication

3 INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY This survey was undertaken to provide the baseline for an information campaign on consumer rights in Romania that the European Union will conduct in It aims to measure consumer problems in some specific sectors, perceived knowledge and interest in consumer rights, as well as familiarity with sources of information on consumer rights, previous consumer rights campaigns and trust in organisations and institutions randomly selected citizens in Romania aged 15+ were interviewed between 14 and 26 October by telephone in cities with more than inhabitants. KEY FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY 20 % of the Romanian consumers surveyed who use phone services report problems with telephone and/or mobile phone companies. 10% experienced difficulties with shops where they bought household or electronic goods. And 18% of people who took out a consumer credit reported problems with banks or other credit providers. Consumers who experienced problems mostly (62%) complained directly to the seller or service provider, while 14% said they had done nothing. 13% of respondents said they encountered misleading commercial activities in the past two years. Base: Total number of respondents 2

4 Three quarters of urban consumers in Romania say they are aware of their rights when an electronic or household appliance malfunctions soon after purchase (76%). Almost the same number of people (73%) say they are interested in receiving more information about these rights. Less than 50% of respondents (43%) say they are aware of their rights when they order something on the Internet and do not like what they receive, and 72% are interested in knowing more about this. 43% say they know their rights when a package holiday turns out to be different from what was promised in the brochure and 72% want to know more about it. 74% would like to receive more information about their rights when their credit payments include unexpected costs and 43% said they already knew about these rights. Over a third (34%) say they know their rights when their flight is delayed or cancelled and 69% are interested in finding out more about these rights. Respondents aged are the most interested in receiving more information. They also show the most active purchasing behaviour. About a third of consumers in urban areas say that in case of a problem with something they bought they would turn to the seller for information or advice about their consumer rights; 28% would turn to a non-governmental association, 13% would look on the Internet and 5% would turn to a governmental institution. 65% of Romanians can (spontaneously) name an institution or association dealing with consumer rights: 29% know the Asociatia pentru Protectia Consumatorilor and another 29% know the Autoritatea Naţională pentru Protecţia Consumatorilor. When subsequently given the names of other institutions and organizations, 75% of respondents said they had heard of Asociatia pentru Protectia Consumatorilor (APC), 70% recognize the Autoritatea Naţională pentru Protecţia Consumatorilor, 28% the Asociatia pentru Protectia Consumatorilor si Promovarea Programelor si Strategiilor (ANPCPPS) and 24% the Centrul European al Consumatorilor. 14% of people who knew or recognized such organisations had approached one of them for information or help. 3

5 Base: Total number of respondents When asked who they would trust to give them information and advice on their consumer rights (firstly and secondly), it appears that the most trusted sources of information are non-governmental consumer associations (38% firstly, 55% in total) and lawyers (19%/45%). Friends and family are most trusted by 13% firstly and 30% in total. One in ten consumers (10%) say they have confidence in public authorities firstly and about a fifth of consumers (21%) include them among the two most trustworthy sources. Although 34% of respondents said they would turn to sellers in case of a problem, only 7% firstly trust sellers and providers to give them correct information about their consumer rights. 4

6 Base: Total number of respondents 37% of Romanian consumers think banks and other credit providers fail to respect consumer rights and protection rules; 37% also lack trust in shops selling household or electronic devices; 34% think Internet providers or teleshopping companies and travel agents do not respect the rules, and 27% think the same of phone companies. Although consumers have most problems with phone companies, 70% of them think these service providers respect consumer rights. Only half of the respondents believe that bank or other credit providers (50%), and tour operators/travel agencies (49%) do so. 69% of consumers think the Romanian justice system does not punish businesses that mislead or cheat consumers efficiently. Only a quarter (25%) believe the justice system acts efficiently. 5

7 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

8 Consumers rights in Romania TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Between the 14th and the 26th of October 2011, TNS political & social, a consortium created between TNS political & social, TNS UK and TNS opinion, carried out the survey about "Consumers rights in Romania". This survey has been requested by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Directorate-General for Health and Consumer. It is a general public survey co-ordinated by the Directorate-General for Communication ("Research and Speechwriting" Unit). The covers the population aged 15 years and over leaving in cities with more than inhabitants in Romania. The survey covers the national population (in Romania) as well as the population of citizens of all the European Union Member States that are residents in Romania and have a sufficient command of the national language to answer the questionnaire. All interviews were carried using the TNS e-call center (our centralized CATI system). Respondents were called both on fixed lines and mobile phones. The basic sample design applied in all states is multi-stage random (probability). In each household, the respondent was drawn at random following the "last birthday rule". TNS have developed their own RDD sample generation capabilities based on using contact telephone numbers from responders to random probability or random location face to face surveys, such as Eurobarometer, as seed numbers. The approach works because the seed number identifies a working block of telephone numbers and reduces the volume of numbers generated that will be ineffective. The seed numbers are stratified by NUTS2 region and urbanisation to approximate a geographically representative sample. From each seed number the required sample of numbers are generated by randomly replacing the last two digits. The sample is then screened against business databases in order to exclude as many of these numbers as possible before going into field. 1

9 ABBR. COUNTRIES INSTITUTES N INTERVIEWS FIELDWORK DATES POPULATION 15+ RO Romania TNS CSOP /10/ /10/ TOTAL /10/ /10/ A comparison between the sample and the universe was carried out. The Universe description was derived from Eurostat population data or from national statistics offices. A national weighting procedure, using marginal and intercellular weighting, was carried out based on this Universe description. In all countries, gender, age, region and size of locality were introduced in the iteration procedure. For international weighting (i.e. EU averages), TNS Opinion & Social applies the official population figures as provided by EUROSTAT or national statistic offices. The total population figures for input in this post-weighting procedure are listed above. Readers are reminded that survey results are estimations, the accuracy of which, everything being equal, rests upon the sample size and upon the observed percentage. With sample of about 1,000 interviews, the real percentages vary within the following confidence limits: Observed percentages 10% or 90% 20% or 80% 30% or 70% 40% or 60% 50% Confidence limits ± 1.9 points ± 2.5 points ± 2.7 points ± 3.0 points ± 3.1 points 2