On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, ConPolicy is conducting a study on the challenges consumers face in social commerce. The central question is what risks arise when social media and online retail increasingly converge.
Social commerce is regarded internationally as a rapidly growing market. While products have traditionally been purchased mainly through conventional online shops, purchase decisions are increasingly being made directly within social networks. In this process, the boundaries between entertainment, personal recommendation and advertising become blurred. Young people in particular make intensive use of these services.
The study examines risks arising from emotionalisation, manipulation, impulse purchases, increased data collection and complex contractual relationships between platforms, influencers and traders. It also analyses whether existing rules under unfair commercial practices law, platform regulation and data protection law are sufficiently suited to effectively protecting consumers in social commerce.
Methodologically, the project combines literature and legal analyses, qualitative studies of platforms and user experiences, as well as a representative consumer survey. On this basis, the aim is to develop policy recommendations for a safe and consumer-oriented legal framework for social commerce.
