Fieldwork: December 2010 Publication: May 2011

Transcription

1 Flash Eurobarometer European Commission Consumer protection and consumer rights in Bulgaria Wave Fieldwork: December Publication: May Flash Eurobarometer The Gallup Organization This survey was requested by the EC Directorate-General SANCO, Health and Consumer Protection and coordinated by Directorate-General Communication. 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. page

2 Flash EB Series # Consumer protection and consumer rights in Bulgaria Survey conducted by The Gallup Organization, Hungary upon the request of the European Commission, Directorate-General Health and Consumer Protection Coordinated by Directorate-General Communication 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. THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION

3 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Table of Contents. The information campaign... Campaign awareness... Media channels... Evaluation of the information campaign.... Information sources about consumer rights... Methods of seeking information about consumer rights... Information or advice in case of problems.... Consumer rights institutions, organisations and associations... Trust in consumer rights bodies... Use of information or help from consumer rights bodies.... Support for an independent consumer organisation and a dedicated magazine and website... A consumer rights magazine and website... Funding an independent consumer organisation.... Protection of consumer rights in Bulgaria... page

4 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Introduction This report is the third wave of a survey relating to an EU information campaign about consumer rights in Bulgaria. The campaign, an EU initiative, ran throughout with the aim of raising awareness of EU consumer rights amongst Bulgarian citizens and to promote Active Consumers consumer organisation as a source of information and advice. The main themes of the campaign covered consumer rights in case of faulty products, consumer credit and package holidays; these themes were promoted mainly in advertising on TV, the Internet, and the printed press, and through public and media relations activities. The first wave of the survey, conducted in September, was carried out before the launch of the campaign. It aimed to assess - year-old Bulgarians (perceptions of their) knowledge about consumer rights and consumer associations and institutions. Interviewees were, for example, asked about: how well informed they felt about their consumer rights areas concerning those rights where they wanted more information their awareness and assessment of organisations that provided advice and help on those rights their trust in consumer rights organisations how well they felt protected as consumers in Bulgaria their willingness to support independent consumer organisations. In order to track the campaign s impact amongst - year-old Bulgarians, the second wave of the survey was conducted shortly after the first part of the TV advertising campaign ( January to March, ). The third wave followed the end of the advertising campaign on December, The questionnaire of the third wave was identical to that of the second wave, and this report highlights any changes observed. Wherever the same question was asked in all three waves of the survey, this report compares the respective results. Besides the overall findings for to year-old respondents in Bulgaria, the current results were also analysed according to further socio-demographic characteristics: age, gender, level of education and subjective urbanisation. The latter refers to whether respondents lived in a metropolitan, urban or rural zone. The different educational levels have been divided into those who finished their full-time education by the age of (the lowest educational level), between the ages of and (an average level of education) or when they were aged or older (the highest level of education). As the number of respondents with the lowest educational level participating in the survey was low (n=, unweighted number), the results for this group have to be treated with caution, especially where questions were only presented to a subgroup of respondents (e.g. only those who had actually contacted a consumer rights body). Furthermore, in these cases, caution should be exercised when interpreting differences between all socio-demographic groups or changes between waves. The fieldwork of the third wave of the survey took place between - December. Just over a thousand (,) randomly selected citizens aged between and were interviewed in Bulgaria. The interviews were carried out by telephone. To correct for sampling disparities, a post-stratification weighting of the results was implemented based on important socio-demographic variables. The low number of respondents with a low level of education is explained by the survey targeting to year-olds; people who had left school by the age of tend to be older than the targeted group.

5 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ). The information campaign Campaign awareness A share of % of Bulgarians said they had seen or heard messages about consumer rights in the weeks prior to the survey, while % had not. The - year-old respondents were considerably more likely to be aware of the campaign than - year-olds (% vs. %). These figures have been relatively stable since the second wave of the survey, conducted between and March. Awareness of messages over the past weeks about consumer rights, % Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Yes No Qa. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard messages about consumer rights? Those respondents who said they remembered messages about consumer rights in the weeks prior to the survey were further asked whether they could spontaneously describe the content of any of the messages that they had seen or heard (n=). Of these respondents: % said they remembered messages about consumer rights in general; % could cite the exact slogan In the EU you have consumer rights! Stand up for them! % mentioned consumer rights regarding mobile phone repairs % mentioned messages about problems with consumer rights related to consumer credit or banks % remembered messages about cheating consumers and % remembered messages about consumer rights and holiday packages and stays in hotels. page

6 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) The messages thatrespondents have seen/heard, % of mentions Total - year-olds about consumer rights - in general; n= about consumer rights - in general about consumer rights - in general exact slogan 'In the EU, you have exact consumer slogan 'In EU, you have consumer exact rights! slogan 'In EU, you have consumer rights! rights! Stand up for them!'; n= Stand up for them!' Stand up for them!' about consumer rights and mobile phones about consumer rights and mobile phones about consumer rights and mobile phones repair; n= repair repair about consumer rights and credit, banks; n= about consumer rights and credit, banks about consumer rights and credit, banks about cheating consumers; n= about cheating consumer about cheating consumer about mobile phone repair - not mentioned about mobile phone repair - not mentioned about mobile phone repair - not mentioned consumer rights; n= consumer rights consumer rights about consumer rights and holiday packages, about consumer rights and holiday packages, about consumer rights and holiday packages, hotel; n= hotel hotel about holiday packages, hotel - not mentioned about holiday packages, hotel - not mentioned about holiday packages, hotel - not mentioned consumer rights; n= consumer rights consumer rights about consumer credit - not mentioned about consumer credit - not mentioned about consumer credit - not mentioned consumer rights; n= consumer rights consumer rights about people not knowing their rights about as people not knowing their rights about as people not knowing their rights as consumer in Bulgaria; n= consumer in consumer in Bulgaria other; n= ; n= other other - year-olds Qa_a. Can you please tell me what this/these message/s was/were? Base: who have seen/heard over the past weeks messages about consumer rights A further, % stated that they had heard or seen messages about mobile phone repair, % mentioned messages about holiday packages and % consumer credit messages without mentioning that these messages were about consumer rights. In addition, % said that they had seen messages had been about people not knowing their rights as a consumer in Bulgaria. One in (%) could not recall the detail of any of the messages or preferred not to answer the question. With respect to the previous wave, there is a significant increase in the number of respondents that remember specific details of the messages. This is notably the case regarding messages about consumer rights related to credit or banking (+ points). Older respondents (- year-olds) more frequently remembered the exact slogan In the EU you have consumer rights! Stand up for them!. Furthermore, older respondents more often recalled that the messages were about consumer rights and the repair of mobile phones. On the other hand, younger respondents more often said that messages were about cheating consumers. They were also more inclined to say that these messages were about holiday package deals and hotels, without mentioning consumer rights. As a next step, those respondents who could not spontaneously name the campaign slogan (n=) were asked whether they remembered messages about standing up for their consumer rights, and not letting sellers, shopkeepers and service providers glide you from the slide, make you into a monkey or send you for green caviar. A majority of those (previously defined) respondents recalled the slogan and the associated idioms after they were presented to them (%), while % could not. Since March, the share of those who responded positively to this question rose by eight percentage points. As in the previous wave, there were no noteworthy differences in responses between the two age groups. These are literal translations of Bulgarian sayings that served to illustrate and enhance the campaign s messages. They all warn consumers that they should know their rights in order to avoid being cheated and being made to look foolish.

7 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Awareness of advertisements/news articles saying that respondents should stand up for their consumer rights, % n= () & n= () Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Yes No Qb. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisements/news articles saying that you should stand up for your consumer rights, not let them glide you from the slide, make you into a monkey, send you for green caviar? Base: who were not aware of messages about consumer rights (in Qa) and who did not mention the slogan In the European Union, you have consumer rights! Stand up them! (in Qa_a) Those respondents who were not familiar with the message In the EU you have consumer rights! Stand up for them! (neither prompted nor unprompted) or who were not aware of any advertisements or news articles about standing up for consumer rights (n=) were further asked whether they had seen or heard advertisements, messages or any information about their consumer rights when returning faulty mobile phones, when complaining about holiday packages or hotels or when taking out credit in the weeks prior to the survey. One in five of these respondents answered they had seen or heard these kinds of messages, whereas % (n=) had not. Compared to the previous wave, the share of positive answers has increased by eight percentage points. There were no important differences between the two age groups. As a last step, the remaining survey participants who were neither familiar with the slogan (unprompted or prompted) and its associated idioms nor with messages about their consumer rights that existed when returning mobile phones, taking out credit or when complaining about holiday packages or hotels (n=) were further asked whether they had seen or heard, in the weeks prior to the survey, ads or news articles about consumers knowing their rights and therefore not being cheated. Of these persons %, or respondents, did recall such messages, and respondents did not, while % ( interviewees) said they did not know or gave no answer. Compared to March, this type of awareness increased by six percentage points. The level of unawareness was higher among the - year-old respondents (% vs. % of - year-olds). When the answers to the questions about whether respondents had seen or heard messages: about consumer rights (Qa) saying that people should stand up for their consumer rights, not let them glide you from the slide, make you into monkey, send you for green caviar (Qb) about consumer rights that existed when returning mobile phones, when taking out credit, when complaining about holiday packages or hotels (Qc) about consumers knowing their rights and therefore not being cheated (Qd) were combined, it could be seen that about three-quarters (%) of Bulgarian respondents were familiar with at least one specific message of the consumer rights information campaign. Since the previous wave, the level of awareness has risen by seven percentage points (from %). page

8 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Awareness of any kind of messages, ads/news articles about consumer rights, % Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Awareness of any message Other answer Qa. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard messages about consumer rights? / Qb. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisements/news articles saying that you should stand up for your consumer rights, not let them glide you from the slide, make you into a monkey, send you for green caviar? / Qc. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisements, messages, information about consumer rights regarding returning mobile phones, holiday packages and hotels or consumer credit? /Qd. Have you over the past weeks seen/heard advertisements/news articles about consumers knowing their rights, not being cheated? Media channels The overwhelming majority of those who remembered the campaign s messages said they had seen them on television (%). Other information channels were mentioned far less frequently: the messages had been received via the Internet by % of respondents, % had been informed by members of the family, friends or colleagues, % had been informed by listening to the radio and by reading newspapers and magazines. Brochures and leaflets were mentioned by %. Since March, television had become even more important as a channel for receiving messages about consumer rights (+ percentage points). The two age groups hardly showed any differences in their responses concerning information channels. How messages about the consumer rights were seen/heard by respondents, % of mentions Total sample - year-olds - year-olds TV Internet Family, friends, colleagues Newspaper/magazine Radio Brochure/leafet Other TV Internet Family, friends, colleagues Newspaper/magazine Radio Brochure/leafet Other TV Internet Family, friends, colleagues Newspaper/magazine Radio Brochure/leafet Other Q. Where did you see/hear this/these messages about consumer rights? Base: who are aware of any kind of advertisment, messages or information about consumer rights

9 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Evaluation of the information campaign Almost in (%) Bulgarians who were familiar with any of the messages about consumer rights gave a positive assessment of the information campaign: about in (%) felt that the campaign was useful for them and about one in five (%) said it was very useful. Roughly in (%) were not convinced by the campaign s virtues, as % said it was not useful and % thought that it was not useful at all. Four per cent of those who were familiar with the messages did not evaluate the usefulness of the campaign. Usefulness of the information gained during the consumer rights campaign, % Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Very useful Useful Not useful Not useful at all Qa. Did you find the information you have received through these messages/this information campaign? Base: who are aware of any kind of advertisment, messages or information about consumer rights Respondents from the younger age group were somewhat more likely to think that it was a useful (useful and very useful combined) campaign and less liable to think otherwise. Asked more specifically about the merits of the campaign s messages about consumer rights concerning the repair of faulty goods, when complaining about holiday packages and hotels or rights when taking out credit, a majority of respondents were positive. Approximately in (%) of those survey participants who were aware of any kind of advertisement, messages or information about consumer rights agreed that the messages were easy to remember and a similar share (%) agreed that they were easy to understand. About two-thirds (%) considered them to be convincing. Differences between the two age groups were minor. Evaluation of the information about consumer rights gained during the campaign % Easy to remember Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Easy to understand Convincing Agree Disagree Q. Did you find the information about your rights as a consumer of returning faulty goods, holiday packages and internet shopping, provided through the campaign on consumer rights. Base: who are aware of any kind of advertisement page

10 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ). Information sources about consumer rights Methods of seeking information about consumer rights In all three waves of the survey, browsing the Internet and making phone calls were by far the most popular ways of searching for information about consumer rights. Results of the current wave showed that % of Bulgarians would look up information on the Internet and slightly more than a quarter (%) would use the phone. Main ways that respondents would find information on consumer rights, % Search on the web By phone Go to / Go to Write Send letter Other Total sample - year-olds - year-olds firstly & /: Q. How would you try to find information and advice about consumer rights? : Q. How would you try to find information and advice about consumer rights firstly? Than secondly? In September, nearly half of the respondents mentioned searching the Internet (%) and % referred to making telephone calls as their main way of gathering information about consumer rights. The website was more frequently mentioned as an information source than the site it replaced (% in December and March vs. % in September ). In all three waves of the survey, younger respondents (- year-olds) were more likely to use the Internet as an information source. In the current wave, the younger respondents were as likely as the older ones to say they would use the phone to get information about consumer rights. Higher numbers of older respondents could not or would not answer the question. Information or advice in case of problems Asked to spontaneously say where they would look for more information or advice when they actually had a problem with a faulty product, a service or a seller, respondents were most likely to say they would search for more information on the Internet (%). Slightly less than one in five (%) said they would go back to the shopkeeper or service provider to see how the problem might be solved. The question about how respondents would try to find information and advice about consumer rights was asked slightly differently in the first wave of the survey. In March and December, respondents only had the possibility to mention one source of information; in September, however, they had been asked to describe their first and their second most important sources. Despite this difference, by taking the first choice mentioned in September as the most important source of information ( top of mind ), then the current results could, with some caution, be compared to the first choice mentioned in. The Bulgarian National Consumer Organisation was renamed as Aktivni Potrebiteli ( Active Consumers ) between the first and the second survey waves.

11 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Smaller numbers said they would call the government s consumer hotline (%) or turn to the Bulgarian National Consumer Association Aktivni Potrebiteli (%). One in (%) respondents would contact public authorities such as the government and relevant ministries or consult friends and relatives. A share of % would turn to an independent consumer association, % would contact a lawyer and % would consult the European Consumer Centre. No respondents named EU contact points. Almost one in five (%) either did not know where to go to in case they had a problem with a product, service or seller or gave no answer. Looking at the aggregated responses from all interviewees, no substantial changes were observed since March. The - year-olds were more likely to search for information on the Internet if they had a problem with a product, a service or a seller. The older age group, on the other hand, more often said they would contact the Bulgarian National Consumer Association Aktivni Potrebiteli. Where respondents would go in case of problem with a product, service or seller, % Total sample - year-olds Search the Internet Search the Search the Internet Internet Shopkeepers, sellers or service Shopkeepers, sellers or service Shopkeepers, providers sellers or service providers providers Dial phone number Dial phone Dial phone number number Aktivni potrebiteli/bulgarian National Aktivni potrebiteli/bulgarian National Aktivni potrebiteli/bulgarian National Consumer Association Consumer Association Consumer Association Government, Ministry, Public Authority Government, Government, Ministry, Public Authority Ministry, Public Authority Friends and relatives Friends and relatives Friends and relatives Independent consumer association Independent Independent consumer association consumer association Lawyers Lawyers Lawyers The European Consumer Centre The The European Consumer Centre European Consumer Centre The EU contact points Other The EU contact points Other The EU contact points Other - year-olds Q. Where would you go for information or advice about your consumer rights if you have a problem with a product, a service or a seller?. Consumer rights institutions, organisations and associations In order to find out more about how well consumer rights institutions, organisations and associations were known in Bulgaria, survey participants were asked to spontaneously identify any such organisation that came to mind. They were then read out a list of consumer rights bodies that they had not mentioned spontaneously and asked whether they had ever heard about those organisations. When asked to spontaneously mention any Bulgarian consumer rights institution, organisation or association, half of the respondents gave the name of at least one consumer rights body or mentioned magazines, other organisations or people that they associated with the protection of consumer rights (%, + points since March ); % said they did not know any of those bodies. Overall, the best known consumer rights body was the Commission on Consumer Protection (KPZ): % of Bulgarians spontaneously mentioned this organisation; out of those interviewees who did page

12 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) not mention the Commission on Consumer Protection, % recognised the organisation when prompted. In March, % of respondents had spontaneously mentioned this consumer rights body, while in September, over half (%) had mentioned it. However, in the current wave, Bulgarians were more than twice as likely as they were in September to recognise this organisation when prompted (% in September, % in March and % in the third wave). About in (%) respondents named the government and relevant ministries as institutions that dealt with the protection of consumer rights. More than half (%) of those who did not spontaneously mention the government, linked it with consumer rights protection when prompted thus making the government the second most prominent body in this field in Bulgaria. However, its prominence has declined since September when % mentioned it spontaneously (- percentage points). In March, % of Bulgarians recognised its role in consumer protection when prompted (- points). Awareness of institutions and organisations/associations that deal with the protection of consumer rights, % of mentions Unprompted Prompted The Commission on Consumer Protection (KPZ) The Government, Ministry The Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria* Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian national consumer association A local or regional consumer association The independent Union of consumers in Bulgaria* Q( & /)/Q(). What institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of consumers rights do you know? (unprompted) / Q( & /)/Q(). Have you ever heard of... (prompted) Note: * items were only prompted The Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria was the third most recognised consumer protection body in Bulgaria, % of Bulgarians had heard of this organisation as a guardian of consumer rights when prompted (- percentage points since September ). Note that this item was only prompted. The Bulgarian National Consumer Association Aktivni Potrebiteli was spontaneously named by % of Bulgarians. A bit more than a quarter (%) of those who did not name it off the top of their head identified it when prompted (+ percentage points since March, reaching the same level as in September ). About in (%) survey participants named a local or regional consumer association, while % of those who did had not named one (spontaneously) had heard of a local or regional consumer association before (- points since March ). One in five (%) respondents had heard of the independent Union of consumers in Bulgaria. Note that this item was only prompted.

13 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Just % of respondents spontaneously mentioned the European Consumer Centre in Sofia and % of those who did not mention it, said they had heard about that body when prompted. About in (%) respondents had heard of a consumer magazine such as Aktivne Potrebitel. A similar share (%) had heard of the information centre Europe Direct (when prompted). Shopkeepers, sellers or banks were identified as dealing with the protection of consumers rights by % of Bulgarians, followed by a national consumer association, by friends or relatives and lawyers (all %). Note that these four items were not read out to survey participants. Awareness of institutions and organisations/associations that deal with the protection of consumer rights, % of mentions European Consumer Centre in Sofia a consumer magazine/ Aktivne Potrebitel magazine Europe Direct Shopkeepers, sellers or banks* a national consumer association* Friends or relatives* Lawyers* Unprompted Prompted Q( & /)/Q(). What institutions and organisations/associations dealing with protection of consumers rights do you know? (unprompted) / Q( & /)/Q(). Have you ever heard of... (prompted) Note: * items were not prompted Trust in consumer rights bodies When read out a list of Bulgarian consumer rights bodies and asked which one they would trust to provide correct information or advice about consumer rights, respondents most frequently chose the Commission on Consumer Protection (%), % of respondents said they would trust consumer information provided by friends and relatives and % preferred to get information from a lawyer. Information given by consumer associations of various kinds was trusted by % of respondents: % had trust in information distributed by a local or regional consumer association, % would trust the Bulgarian National Consumer Association Aktivni Potrebiteli and % had faith in other national consumer associations. Finally, % would not, or could not, give an answer. Two notable changes were registered when comparing these results with those from March. First of all, the share of Bulgarians trusting the information provided by the Commission on Consumer Protection has increased by five percentage points. Secondly, respondents were more likely to answer the question - the share of non-response dropped by five points. It should be noted, however, that these latest results were close to those registered in September. Here, these numbers give a total of %, as respondents were only allowed to give one answer. page

14 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) The - year-olds more often said they trusted advice and information provided by the Commission on Consumer Protection, friends and relatives and lawyers. Older respondents, on the other hand, more often trusted the information given by a local or regional consumer association. They were also more likely not to answer the question. Trusted establishments, % Total sample - year-olds the Commission on Consumer Protection the Commission on Consumer Protection the Commission on Consumer Protection friends and relatives friends and relatives friends and relatives lawyers lawyers lawyers a local or regional consumer association a local or regional consumer association a local or regional consumer association Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian National Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian National Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian National Consumer Association Consumer Association Consumer Association European Consumer Centre in Sofia European Consumer Centre in Sofia European Consumer Centre in Sofia shopkeepers, sellers or banks a national consumer association shopkeepers, sellers or banks shopkeepers, sellers or banks a national consumer association a national consumer association the Government, Ministry Europe Direct the Government, Ministry Europe Direct the Government, Ministry Europe Direct a consumer magazine/aktivne Potrebitel a consumer magazine/aktivne Potrebitel a consumer magazine/aktivne Potrebitel magazine magazine magazine - year-olds Q(& /)/Q(). Who would you trust to give you correct information and advice on your consumer rights? Use of information or help from consumer rights bodies Respondents who mentioned a Bulgarian consumer rights body either spontaneously or when prompted were further asked whether they had ever asked any of them for information or help. Thirteen per cent ( out of ) of respondents that mentioned at least one of the Bulgarian consumer rights organisations, associations or institutions had contacted that one - or another organisation - for information or help on consumer rights.

15 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Consumer rights organisations that have been asked for information, % of yes responses Total - year-olds - year-olds the Commission on Consumer Protection Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian National Consumer Association the independent Union of consumers in Bulgaria the Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria a consumer magazine/aktivne Potrebitel magazine European Consumer Centre in Sofia. the Commission on Consumer Protection... Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian. National Consumer Association.. the independent Union of. consumers in Bulgaria.. the Federation of Consumers in. Bulgaria.. a consumer magazine/aktivne. Potrebitel magazine.. European Consumer Centre in. Sofia.. the Commission on Consumer Protection... Aktivni Potrebiteli or Bulgarian National. Consumer Association.. the independent Union of. consumers in Bulgaria.. the Federation of Consumers in. Bulgaria.. a consumer magazine/aktivne. Potrebitel magazine.. European Consumer Centre in. Sofia Q(& /)/Q(). Have you ever asked any of these (organisation/magazine) for information or help? Base: those who were aware of any organisations/associations dealing with the protection of consumer rights The body that had been contacted the most frequently by far was the Commission on Consumer Protection: approximately % ( respondents in total) of the interviewed Bulgarians who were familiar with a consumer rights body in their country had consulted this organisation; in other words, % of the respondents that had actually contacted an organisation for information or help.the remaining consumer rights organisations had been contacted by very few respondents. Since March the number of Bulgarians who had asked a consumer rights body for help has almost doubled (from to ). The number of those who contacted the Commission on Consumer Protection has increased from to (or from.% to.%). Please note that in September, this share was already at %. As a next step, those respondents who had been in contact with the Bulgarian National Consumer Association Aktivni Potrebiteli and the European Consumer Centre in Sofia were asked whether they were satisfied with the service and whether they would recommend these organisations. However, as only respondents had contacted Aktivni Potrebiteli and just four had been in touch with the European Consumer Centre in Sofia, the results can hardly be seen to be representative of the general population.. Support for an independent consumer organisation and a dedicated magazine and website A consumer rights magazine and website Almost in (%) respondents would be interested in an independent consumer rights website, and % expressed their interest in a magazine dedicated to the subject. This level of interest has been stable since March but was lower than that expressed in September (when % were interested in such a website and % in a magazine). Those Bulgarians who had been in contact with Aktivni Potrebiteli were mostly satisfied with the service and advice they had received and they would mostly recommend it to friends and relatives. The four interviewees that had asked the European Consumer Centre in Sofia had mixed opinions concerning the services and information provided to them. page

16 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Respondents interest in an independent consumer rights magazine or website, % interested / / Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Website Website Website Magazine Magazine Magazine Q( & )/Q(). Would you be interested in an independent consumer magazine or website that gives you results of independent comparative tests of the quality of products and services such as washing machines, mobile phones and food products? Interest in the website was higher among younger respondents (% vs. % of - year-olds). Furthermore, % of the younger age group were interested in a consumer rights magazine in comparison with % of - year-olds. Asked how much they would pay for such an independent website or magazine, almost in (%) respondents said they didn t know or gave no answer. About one in seven (%) was prepared to pay leva for a single copy of a consumer rights magazine at a kiosk. Furthermore, % would prefer to pay leva for a one-year period of access to the test results published on the website and % would pay leva by credit or debit card to access the results of a test on the website. Paying leva for an annual subscription ( magazines a year) was a preferred option for % of respondents. Answers to this question have changed only slightly since March. The answers of the two age groups hardly differed. What respondents would be prepared to pay for an independent consumer rights magazine or website?, % Total sample - year-olds - year-olds levs for a subscription ( magazines per year) levs for a single magazine at a kiosk levs by credit/debit card for the results of a test via the website bnap.org levs for a one year period of access to results of comparative tests on the website bnap.org Q( & /)/Q(). Would you be prepared to pay? Funding an independent consumer organisation Concerning the funding of an independent consumer organisation in Bulgaria, survey participants were presented with five different possibilities of how such an organisation could be financed and asked if they would support each one or not. Two of the possibilities suggested some kind of financial support without any direct service in return and three implied the payment of a membership fee whose amount varied according to the services that respondents would receive in return.

17 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) Just as in the previous waves, approximately in (%) respondents supported at least one of the suggested options (: %, : %). Also similar to the previous waves, the option of giving a donation without a direct service in return was more frequently chosen (% of respondents opted for one of these methods in December, % in March and % did so in September ) than that of paying an annual membership fee without service in return (chosen by % of respondents in the current wave, % in March, % in September ). Looking in more detail at the different ways of funding an independent consumer organisation opted for in the current wave, the most popular means were giving the association a percentage of taxes instead of paying them to the government (%) and making a tax-deductible donation (%). Among the possibilities of paying a membership fee and getting a direct service in return, respondents most frequently opted for the lowest fee and the lowest level of service: % of interviewed Bulgarians were ready to pay an annual membership fee of leva, if this included online access to issues of an independent consumer magazine that offered the results of product and service tests, while in (%) would pay leva to get the printed version of the consumer magazine as well as online access. Finally, % would pay leva if the service also included, in addition to online access and the printed version of the magazine, legal advice when required. Compared to the two previous waves, the share of those who preferred to give the association a percentage of their taxes instead of paying them to the government has increased by five percentage points, while the popularity of the other four options listed has remained rather stable. The only considerable difference observed between the two age groups was that - year-olds were more often willing to pay leva to get the printed version of the consumer magazine as well as online access. Support for an independent Bulgarian consumer rights association, % of yes / / Giving this association a percentage of your taxes instead of paying them to the Government Giving this association a donation which you can deduct from your income taxes Paying an annual membership fee of leva, if this included on-line access to issues of an independent consumer magazine with results of comparative tests of products and services Paying an annual membership fee of leva, if this included issues of an independent consumer magazine with results of comparative tests of products and services plus the printed version as well Paying an annual membership fee of leva, if this included on-line access to issues (print) of an independent consumer magazine with results of comparative tests of products and services, plus the printed version as well, plus legal advice if needed Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Q( & )/Q(). Would you be willing to support an independent Bulgarian consumer association by?. Protection of consumer rights in Bulgaria Respondents were asked to assess the level of consumer protection they had in Bulgaria compared to that existing in other EU countries. Just as in the previous survey wave, over in (%) respondents thought that consumers in Bulgaria were less protected than consumers elsewhere in the EU. A share of % believed that they enjoyed the same level of consumer protection as residents of other EU Member States, % had the impression that Bulgarian consumers were more Results do not add up to % as respondents had the possibility of giving several answers. page

18 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) protected than those in other EU Member States and % of respondents did not know how to judge the situation in Bulgaria compared to the rest of the EU. Overall, the responses to this question have remained stable over the three waves of the survey. Younger respondents (- year-olds) slightly more frequently said that Bulgarian consumers had the same rights as other Europeans. The share of those not responding to the question was slightly higher among members of the latter group. Opinions about the protection of consumer rights in Bulgaria compared to other EU countries, % Total sample - year-olds - year-olds More Same Less Q( & /)/Q(). Compared to other EU countries, do you think consumers in Bulgaria have the same, less or more consumer rights and protection? Participants were even more negative when assessing whether Bulgarian shopkeepers and service providers respected consumer rights. Similar to the previous wave, more than in (%) respondents felt that Bulgarian shopkeepers and service providers respected consumer rights less than their counterparts in other EU Member States. A share of % thought that they respected consumer rights to the same extent as their counterparts in other EU countries and % thought that they showed more respect to those rights. A further % did not know how to judge the situation or gave no answer. Opinions about how consumer rights are respected in Bulgaria compared to other EU countries, % Total sample - year-olds - year-olds More Same Less Q( & )/Q(). Do you think sellers in Bulgaria respect consumer rights and protection rules the same, less or more? Since September the share of those who thought that sellers in Bulgaria respected consumer rights and protection rules less than in other EU countries increased by four percentage points. Differences between the two age groups were minor. Most respondents also thought that the Bulgarian justice system was not efficient in punishing businesses that misled or cheated their customers (%); % of respondents thought that it was efficient in such cases. About one in eight (%) did not know how to judge the efficiency of the Bulgarian legal system or gave no answer. Opinions on this point have been stable over all three waves of the survey.

19 Flash EB N o - Consumer protection and consumer rights ( - wave ) There were hardly any differences between the two age groups concerning respondents views about the efficiency of the Bulgarian justice system in dealing with businesses that cheated consumers. Opinions as to whether the Bulgarian justice system is efficient in dealing with businesses that cheat or mislead consumers, % Total sample - year-olds - year-olds Yes No Q( & )/Q(). In general, would you say that the Bulgarian justice system is efficient in punishing businesses that mislead or cheat consumers? page