National Consumer Agency

Market Research Findings:Consumer Empowerment and Complaints

August 2011Market Research Conducted by

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Making Complaints

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Key Findings

Section 1: Consumer Empowerment

Section 2: Making Complaints

Research Background and Methodology

Profile of Sample

Table of Contents

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Key Findings

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Key Findings

Consumer Rights• 78% state they are confident of their rights (↑3% points)

• 71% assert they are knowledgeable of their rights (↑3% points)

• 71% feel protected in respect of their rights (↑2% points)

Propensity to Complain• 85% of consumers state that they are willing to complain (↑8% points)

Complain/Return an Item• 22% of consumers(↓8% points) had cause to do so

• 92% (↑12% points) of those who had cause actually complained

• Over 3 in 4 (78%) found the complaints process easy

• Over 4 in 5 (84%) have had their complaint completely resolved

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Section 1: Consumer Empowerment

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7075 74 74 73 75

78

1812

15 1418

1310

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Aug-08 Nov/Dec-08

Jun-09 Nov/Dec-09

Jun-10 Nov/Dec-10

May/June-11

% Confident % Not Confident

Confidence about Rights as a Consumer

(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)

%

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6269 68 67 67 68 71

24

1520 20 20 19 17

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Aug-08 Nov/Dec-08

Jun-09 Nov/Dec-09

Jun-10 Nov/Dec-10

May/June-11

% Knowledgeable % Not Knowledgeable

Knowledge about Consumer Rights

(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)

%

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60

7065 65 64

69 71

18

1016 14 15

10 8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Aug-08 Nov/Dec-08

Jun-09 Nov/Dec-09

Jun-10 Nov/Dec-10

May/June-11

% Protected % Not Protected

Protected Regarding Consumer Rights

(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)

%

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Section 2: Making Complaints

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85%

Complaining Nation?

Yes

As a consumer would you be prepared to complain if a problem had occurred or you are dissatisfied with a good

or service you have purchased?

As a consumer would you be prepared to complain if a problem had occurred or you are dissatisfied with a good

or service you have purchased?

(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)

(77%)

() = Nov/Dec 2011

Main grocery shopper

35-44

Knowledgeable of consumer rights

Confident of consumer rights

Protected with regards consumer rights

90

91

90

90

90

Most Likely to Complain%

%

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82

4

3

9 10

2

5

9

85

22%

Reasons to Complain Over Last 12 Months?

Yes

Complaint in Relation to...%%

Whether or Not had Reason to Complain

In-store Purchase

Online Purchase

Catalogue/Mail purchase

Telephone Purchase

Other Purchase

Last Time

Past 12 Months

(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)

Higher amongst:Responsible for main grocery shop 28%Part time employed 29%Not protected regards consumer rights 30%

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Whether Complaint/Return Made When had Reason to Do So

8%

92%

Yes

Whether Made Complaint

Wave 1 2008

70% Yes

Wave 2 2008

75% Yes

Wave 3 2009

69% Yes

Wave 4 2009

74% Yes

Wave 5 2010

80% Yes

22% Yes

Reason to Complain

() = Nov/Dec 2010

(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)(Base: All those who had cause or reason

to complain/return in past 12 months - 219)

No(20%)

(80%)

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32

46

4

4

14

Assessment of the Complaints/Returns Process

%

Very easy (5)

Somewhat easy (4)

Neither/Nor (3)

Somewhat difficult (2)

Very difficult (1)

78% (75%)

( ) = Nov/Dec 2010

18% (19%)

Level of Difficulty Experienced

Mean 3.9 (3.9)

(38)

(37)

(6)

(14)

(5)

(Base: All those who made a complaint/return - 202)

%

Resolution Status of Problem

6%1%

84%9%

Not Resolved at all

Partly Resolved

Don’t know

Completely Resolved

(87%)(6%)

(7%)

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Research Background and Methodology

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The research was conducted by means of face-to-face interviewing with 1,000 people between the ages of 15-74

To ensure that the data is nationally representative, quotas were applied on the basis of age, gender and social class

Interviewing was conducted over a four week period in May/June 2011

Research Background and Methodology

Nov/Dec 2007

Aug 2008Nov/Dec

2008

Nov/Dec 2009 June 2010Nov/December

2010

Benchmark

Wave 4 Wave 5

Wave 1 Wave 2

Wave 6

Current Wave

May/June 2011

Wave 7

May/June 2009

Wave 3

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1728

4822

52

19

2816

1826

49

26

51

SEX AGE REGIONSOCIALCLASS

Profile of Sample

(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)

Male

Female

% % % %15-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55+

Dublin

Rest of Leinster

Munster

Conn/ Ulster

ABC1 F50+

C2DEF50-

MAIN GROCERY SHOPPER

Yes No50%50%