Traditional approaches to consumer advice have a problem: they struggle to reach vulnerable consumer groups. Against this background, EU Member States are experimenting with approaches of local consumer advice. With the help of this type of consumer advice, precisely those people who have a low self-help potential should be reached.
Within the framework of the New Consumer Agenda, the EU Commission has set itself the goal of strengthening initiatives that offer local consumer advice especially for those consumer groups that for structural or personal reasons do not have access to advice services so far.
In this context, the EU Commission commissioned a study. This study shows which approaches of local consumer advice exist in the EU Member States and which success factors can be derived from these initiatives. Together with VVA, the ConPolicy Institute carried out this study last year. The results were published in spring.
Secondly, the EU Commission commissioned VVA and the ConPolicy Institute to organize an EU-wide seminar. This seminar should firstly show why local consumer advice is so important. Secondly, initiatives from the different EU Member States should present themselves and exchange their approaches in the sense of a good practice exchange. Thirdly, proposals for action were to be identified.
This seminar took place on April 25, 2023, with representatives from all EU Member States. ConPolicy Managing Director, Prof. Dr. Christian Thorun, moderated the event.