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Commission summarized major sociological study to assess consumer rights protection in EAEU countries
Citizens of the Eurasian Economic Union Member States assessed the current situation in the field of consumer rights protection as satisfactory. This assessment was obtained owing to a study conducted by the Eurasian Economic Commission involving the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and scientific organizations of the Union countries.
The study was conducted during the year as part of the activities of the Joint Action Program of the Member States in the field of consumer rights protection, implemented in the EAEU according to the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council's disposition.
Natalia Zhukova, Director of the EEC Department for Sanitary, Phytosanitary and Veterinary Measures, noted that in the course of the works, international experience in this field was studied and unique methods were developed to assess the level of consumer rights protection in the EAEU countries.
The study results show a high degree of consumer satisfaction with the quality of goods and services in the Eurasian Economic Union.
A significant number of the survey respondents believe that the requirements to the quality and safety of goods and services are always and often complied with. The share of such assessments amounted to 68% in the Republic of Armenia, 87% in the Republic of Belarus, 61% in the Republic of Kazakhstan, 56% in the Kyrgyz Republic and 67% in the Russian Federation.
The majority of respondents in all the Member States are ready to apply to the authorized body for consumer rights protection, which indicates citizens' trust in state institutions.
The activities of public authorities is assessed by the population of the Union countries as very efficient and rather efficient. The share of such assessments amounted to 54% in the Republic of Armenia, 72% in the Republic of Belarus, 54% in the Republic of Kazakhstan, 47% in the Kyrgyz Republic, and 56% in the Russian Federation.
The study made it possible to identify the main problems of consumers in different spheres.
According to the survey conducted among consumers, clothing and footwear, as well as tobacco and alcohol products cause the greatest number of complaints.
The most common infringements of consumer rights in retail trade include the absence of price labels, incorrect prices, the imposition of additional goods and services, and problems with the provision of information about goods.
Typical consumer rights infringements in the field of public catering are related to denial of service, inability to pay in a convenient way and inclusion of unnecessary items in the bill.
Most often consumers face violation of their rights when receiving medical services, communication services and utilities. The survey respondents noted the low level of proficiency and incompetence of specialists, poor quality of services and increase in the final cost without agreement with the consumer.
In the case of distance selling of goods, the most common violations relate to deviations from the delivery terms of goods, impossibility to obtain full information about the goods and lack of information in the native language.
The study showed that consumers are not sufficiently aware of their rights.
According to the data obtained, 15% of respondents in the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Kazakhstan, 17% respondents in the Kyrgyz Republic, 26% respondents in the Russian Federation and 34% respondents in the Republic of Belarus are confident in their knowledge of consumer rights.
Respondents are most aware of the right to proper quality of goods and services, as well as the right to exchange goods of proper or improper quality. To a lesser extent, consumers are aware of the right to education in the protection of their rights.
The most pressing for the population are the issues of consumer rights protection in distance shopping, tourism, medicine, education and other areas.
Natalia Zhukova noted that this study is the first experience of joint work of the Union countries to study consumer behavior and attitudes of citizens to measures aimed at their protection in the common consumer market of the EAEU Member States.
The methods developed in the course of the study can be applied in each Member State, and the results of the cross-country study will lay the groundwork for improving integration work in this direction.
The study results showed that most often (several times a week) consumers buy food products, while 43% of respondents noted that they never buy tobacco and alcohol. Electronic and household appliances are bought less often than once every six months, perfumes and cosmetics are bought about once a month, and clothes and shoes are bought every few months. The most in demand services are communication, retail trade and public transport.
On average, 20% of respondents use e-commerce services several times a month, and 19% respondents use it once a month. Along with that, 40% of respondents in the Kyrgyz Republic and 23% of respondents in the Republic of Armenia never buy goods online. The largest share of goods purchased online accounts for household appliances, perfumes and cosmetics, clothing and footwear.
