retailers' attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer

Flash EB No 300 Retailers attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer protection Analytical report

page 1

Fla

sh

Eu

rob

aro

me

ter

30

0

Th

e G

allu

p O

rga

niz

ati

on

This survey was requested Directorate-General Health and Consumers 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.

Flash Eurobarometer

Retailers attitudes towards

cross-border trade and

consumer protection

Analytical report

Fieldwork: September - October 2010

Report: March 2011

European Commission

Flash EB Series #300

Retailers attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer

protection

Conducted by The Gallup Organization

upon the request of Directorate-General

Health and Consumers

Survey coordinated by the Directorate-General Communication

This document does not reflect the views of

the European Commission. The interpretations and opinions contained

in it are solely those of the authors.

THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION


page 3

Contents

Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 4

Main Findings ........................................................................................................................... 5

1. Characteristics of the retailers surveyed ............................................................................ 9

1.1 Number and type of retail channels used .......................................................................... 9

1.2 Estimated turnover from e-commerce and other distance sales ..................................... 14

1.3 Retailers willingness to sell in different EU languages ................................................. 15

1.4 Retailers having subsidiaries or retail outlets in other EU countries .............................. 17

2. Level of cross-border trade in the internal market ......................................................... 19

2.1 Current cross-border sales .............................................................................................. 19

2.2 Estimated turnover from cross-border activities ............................................................ 21

2.3 Retailers advertising in other EU countries .................................................................... 22

2.4 Cross-border trade if regulations were the same in the EU ............................................ 24

3. Information and awareness of legal obligations towards consumers ............................ 32

3.1 Perceived level of information about legislation on consumer protection, food and

product safety ....................................................................................................................... 32

3.2 Specific knowledge of consumer legislation .................................................................. 36

3.3 Specific knowledge of product safety legislation ........................................................... 43

3.4 Finding information about consumer legislation ............................................................ 52

4. Compliance with consumer and product safety legislation ............................................ 55

4.1 Incidences of non-compliance ........................................................................................ 55

4.2 Enforcement and market surveillance ............................................................................ 61

4.3 Perceived compliance monitoring with consumer and product safety legislation ......... 70

5. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms ....................................................... 76

5.1 Use of ADR mechanisms to settle disputes with consumers.......................................... 76

5.2 Preference for dispute resolution mechanisms ............................................................... 79

I. Annex tables ........................................................................................................................ 82

II. Survey details ................................................................................................................... 226

III. Questionnaire ................................................................................................................. 229

Analytical report Flash EB No 300 Retailers attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer protection

page 4

Introduction

The objective of Flash Eurobarometer Retailers attitudes towards cross-border trade and

consumer protection (No300) was to assess business attitudes towards cross-border trade

and consumer protection in the EU internal market. Managers of retail companies (with at

least 10 employees) were interviewed on several topics:

the use of distant sales channels and the extent of cross-border sales

their interest in making (more) cross-border sales if regulations were harmonised

their knowledge of legislation on consumer protection and product/food safety

their compliance with consumer and product safety legislation

their experience with enforcement and market surveillance actions

the use of, and preference for, different dispute resolution mechanisms

This Flash Eurobarometer (No300) is part of a trend survey; earlier waves with (partly)

similar content were conducted in 2006 (Flash Eurobarometer No186)

1, 2008 (Flash

Eurobarometer No224)

2 and 2009 (Flash Eurobarometer N

o278)

3.

The survey covered all 27 EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. Companies included in

this study were those in sectors that were considered to be likely to have significant retail

activity and to be able to sell via distance sales channels4. Of the companies surveyed, 71%

were small companies (between 10 and 49 employees), while 20% were medium-sized

companies (between 50 and 249 employees) and 9% were large companies (with at least 250

employees).

In most EU Member States and in Norway, the targeted sample size was 250; in Luxembourg,

Malta and Iceland, the targeted number of interviews was reduced to 200. Overall, 6,680

companies were interviewed, between 28th

September and 6th

October 2010, using a fixed-line

telephone methodology. Eligible respondents were general managers and marketing or

commercial managers.

Post-stratification weights were used to restore the sample proportions according to company

size and industry sector (to match these in the sample to external reference statistics). When

EU-wide summary estimates are discussed, the results of the interviews have been weighted

to correct for the disproportional selection of countries in the starting sample, so that countries

are proportionally represented in the EU average. For more details about interviewing

methods, sampling and the margins of sampling error, see the survey details section.

1 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_186_en.pdf



4 For more details, see the technical note in annex.

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_186_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_224_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_278_en.pdf


page 5

Main Findings

Sales channels and cross-border sales

Almost three-quarters of retailers in the EU used the traditional method of selling goods or services to consumers via shops (73%; compared to 75% in 2009); a similar proportion

said they used at least one distance sales channel; for example, Internet sales or sales by

phone or post (72%; compared to 70% in 2009).

The Internet was the most common distance sales channel: a slim majority of retailers said they sold goods or services via the Internet (53%; up from 51% in 2009). The use of the

telephone as a sales channel was mentioned by 43% of retailers and mail order (e.g.

selling by post) was offered by 29% of retailers; these results were unchanged

compared to 2009.

In Ireland, Denmark and the UK, the norm was to offer customers the possibility to purchase goods or services without visiting the companys physical store or production

site: between 88% and 93% of retailers in these three countries used distance sales

channels.

Somewhat more than a fifth (22%) of retailers in the EU said they were selling their products or services in other EU countries. This proportion was lower than in 2006 (29%)

or 2009 (25%), but slightly higher than the proportion observed in 2008 (20%). Similarly,

the proportion advertising across borders was 24% in 2010; this proportion was 21% in

2008 and 25% in 2006.

The prevalence of cross-border activity continued to vary significantly across the EU: the proportion of retailers that reported selling their products or services in at least one other

EU country ranged from 9% in Romania to 54% in Luxembourg.

Companies with at least 50 employees, those with subsidiaries or outlets in another EU country, companies using distance sales channels and those prepared to carry out

transactions with customers in more than one EU language were more involved in cross-

border advertising and sales activities.

One-third of all retailers answered that they would be interested in making cross-border sales if laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same across the EU.

Moreover, 31% of retailers thought their cross-border sales would increase in a more

harmonised regulatory environment. The surveys current results were similar to those

observed in 2009, but were considerably less positive than in 2008 (49% interested in

making cross-border sales and 46% cross-border sales will increase)

Information and awareness of legal obligations towards consumers

More than 8 in 10 (82%) of retailers felt they were at least well informed about legal obligations towards consumers arising from consumer legislation in force in their country.

This figure was practically unchanged compared to 2009; in 2008, on the other hand, a

lower proportion of retailers felt at least well informed about consumer legislation (77%).

Almost 9 in 10 retailers that sell consumer products felt at least well informed about rules and regulations relating to product safety (86%; +6 percentage points compared to

2009). Similarly, about 8 in 10 (81%) retailers that sell food products felt at least well

informed about legislation on food safety.

A large majority (81%) of retailers answered that they knew where to find relevant information or where to ask for advice about consumer legislation in force in their


page 6

country, and 29% knew where to look for information or advice about consumer

legislation in force in other EU countries (up from 22% in 2009).

Specific knowledge about consumer and product safety legislation

About a quarter (26%) of retailers knew the exact period during which consumers have the right to return a defective product. Among retailers that use distance sales channels,

less than 3 in 10 (27%) could correctly state the length of the cooling-off period for

distance sales in their country.

In terms of knowledge about prohibited practices, a fifth or more of retailers incorrectly assumed that it was not prohibited in their country:

to describe a product as free although it is only freely available to customers calling a premium rate phone number (21% incorrect responses)

to advertise products at a very low price compared to other offers without having a reasonable quantity of products for sale is prohibited in their country (29% incorrect

responses)

to include an invoice or a similar document seeking payment in marketing material (26% incorrect responses).

A majority of retailers in the EU thought that a small number of non-food products currently on the market in their country were unsafe (60%) and a somewhat lower

proportion (57%) said the same about unsafe food products marketed in their country.

A large majority of retailers that sell consumer products correctly identified the following statements about product safety as being true:

Retailers must not place unsafe products on the market (9% incorrect responses)

Retailers must be able to present technical documentation on the safety of their products (10% incorrect responses)

Upon the authorities request, retailers must cooperate with the authorities to prevent risks posed by products which they supplied (10% incorrect responses).

Similarly, a large majority of retailers that sell food products correctly identified the following statements about food safety as being true:

All businesses are responsible for the safety of the food products they sell (6% incorrect responses)

All businesses selling food to final consumers must be able to identify their suppliers (6% incorrect responses)

All businesses in the food sector must implement HACCP procedures for risk containment purposes (8% incorrect responses).

Compliance with consumer and product safety legislation

When asked whether they complied with all legislation dealing with the economic interests of consumers, virtually all retailers declared that they did: 70% agreed strongly

and 27% agreed. Retailers were more sceptical when asked whether their competitors

complied with consumer legislation: 80% agreed and 9% disagreed that their

competitors complied with this legislation. These results were practically unchanged

compared to 2009.

Respondents who said they were fully informed about consumer legislation were more likely to strongly agree that they complied with this legislation (80% vs. 62% of

respondents who did not feel well informed about consumer legislation).


page 7

Virtually all retailers in all countries surveyed answered that they complied with legislation dealing with the economic interests of consumers. Moreover, in almost all

countries in this study, a vast majority of retailers also thought that their competitors acted

in accordance with consumer legislation, with respondents in Malta and Finland having

the firmest view in this matter (89% agreed).

About a fifth of retailers had come across fraudulent advertisements or offers made by competitors in the past 12 months (21%; practically unchanged compared to 2009), and a

quarter had come across misleading or deceptive advertisements (25%; -3 point compared

to 2009). Among retailers that sell consumer products, 7% said they were aware that their

competitors had knowingly sold unsafe products in the past 12 months (unchanged

compared to 2009).

Enforcement and market surveillance

One in six retailers in the EU said that consumer authorities had contacted them in the past two years for an inspection of their national sales. Less than 1 in 20 (3%; compared to 2%

in 2009) retailers said that they had been contacted by consumer authorities for an

inspection of their cross-border sales. Focusing solely on retailers that made cross-border

sales 4% stated the same.

Retailers in Hungary and Romania were the most likely to have been contacted by consumer authorities in the past two years in the framework of an inspection of their

national sales (50% and 53%, respectively).

As in the previous wave of this trend survey, somewhat more than a fifth (22%) of retailers had learned about a breach of consumer legislation in their market through the

media in the past two years. In addition, just 5% had been contacted by consumer

authorities (or consumer organisations) about a possible breach of consumer legislation by

their own company during that period.

Focusing solely on retailers that sell consumer products, somewhat more than 4 in 10 (42%; up from 38% in 2009) declared that they had carried out product safety tests in the

past two years, while a smaller proportion (27%; down from 29% in 2009) had been

subjected to a product safety test by the authorities.

Retailers in Cyprus and Romania were not only among the most likely to have carried out safety tests themselves in the past two years (70% and 57%, respectively), they were also

among the most likely to have been subjected to a test by the authorities (55% and 65%,

respectively).

Product recalls concerned a minority of retailers: in the past two years, 10% of retailers were asked by the authorities to withdraw or recall one of their products and 5% were

asked to issue a public warning about one of their products. Finally, 11% of retailers in the

EU had received complaints from consumers about the safety of a product they sold in the

past two years. These results were practically unchanged compared to 2009.

Perceived compliance monitoring with consumer and product safety legislation

About 8 in 10 (79%) retailers agreed that public authorities actively monitor and ensure compliance with consumer legislation in their sector in their country, this proportion was

somewhat higher than in 2009 when 74% agreed with the statement. A similar picture

emerged when retailers were asked about monitoring compliance with legislation of

product safety (81% agreed; up from 76% in 2009) and food safety (76% agreed).


page 8

Slightly more than 6 in 10 (62%) retailers agreed that consumer NGOs actively monitor compliance with consumer legislation in their sector in their country and the same

proportion agreed that self-regulatory bodies actively monitor the respect of codes of

conduct or codes of practice in their sector in their country. These results were unchanged

compared to 2009.

Although about two-thirds (66%) of retailers answered that the media regularly report on businesses which do not respect consumer legislation, less than a fifth (18%) said they had

changed their commercial practices as a result of a media story. The results were similar

to the ones observed in 2009 (65% and 17%, respectively).

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms

On average, 9% of retailers in the EU had used ADR mechanisms to settle disputes with customers in the past two years and 6% said they were a member of an ADR body, 44%

of retailers were not aware of the existence of such mechanisms. The current survey and

the one conducted in 2009 measured similarly low levels of ADR usage (in 2009, 8% of

retailers had used ADR mechanisms and 5% reported being a member of an ADR body).

ADR mechanisms were most frequently used in Denmark (24%) and Norway (21%). In Italy, Sweden, Cyprus, Malta and France, however, not more than 1 in 20 retailers had

used ADR mechanisms in the two years prior to the survey (3%-5%).

In case of a dispute with a group of consumers, a slim majority of retailers said they would prefer to use ADR mechanisms to resolve the issue: 40% mentioned individual

ADR and 14% selected collective ADR. Less than a sixth (16%) of retailers would prefer

to go to court in order to settle a dispute.

Retailers appeared to prefer individual ways to settle disputes over collective ones (40% individual vs. 14% collective for ADR mechanisms and 11% vs. 5% for court

proceedings).


page 9

1. Characteristics of the retailers surveyed

For this study, companies were chosen that are among those engaged in direct retail activity

or providing services targeted at final consumers, and employing at least 10 people. The study

is therefore only representative of the Business to Consumer (B2C) sector; it includes a

sample of such businesses in each EU Member State, as well as Norway and Iceland. For

reasons of simplicity, the surveyed companies will be referred to as retailers throughout this

report, although the supply of both goods and services is included.

The current chapter sets out the basis for the remainder of the report by presenting

information on the following characteristics of the retailers surveyed:

number and type of sales channels used

estimated turnover from e-commerce and other distance sales

number of languages that retailers were prepared to use with customers

number of subsidiaries or retail outlets in other EU countries

1.1 Number and type of retail channels used

Almost three-quarters (73%) of

retailers in the EU used the traditional

method of selling goods or services to

consumers via shops; a similar

proportion (72%) mentioned at least

one out-of-premise (distance) sales

channel.

The Internet was the most common

distance sales channel: a slim

majority (53%) of retailers said they

sold goods or services via the

Internet. The use of the telephone as a

sales channel was mentioned by 43%,

while 29% of retailers mentioned mail

order (e.g. selling by post) and 9%

said they used doorstep selling.

Finally, about a quarter (26%) of

retailers used other out-of-premises

sales channels (e.g. fairs, markets or street vending). These results were practically unchanged

from the previous wave conducted in 2009.

Type of retail channels used

73

53

43

29

9

26

2

75

51

43

29

7

25

1

In-premises sales

Internet

Phone

Post

Doorstep selling

Other out-of-premises channels

DK/NA

Fl300 (2010)

Fl278 (2009)

D3. Which of the following sales channels do you use?Base: all retailers, % of mentions, EU27


page 10

In-premises sales5

Malta and Portugal had the highest proportion of retailers that used in-premises sales channels

to sell goods or services to consumers (91% and 94%, respectively). In Spain, the Czech

Republic and Latvia, on the other hand, less than 6 in 10 retailers offered their goods and

services directly to customers in shops (52%-56%).

94 9187 86 86 85 85 83 80 80 79 79 79 77 76 76 76 74 74 73 71 69 67 64 64

56 55 52

84 81

0

20

40

60

80

100

PT

MT

SE

AT

EL FI

HU

BG IE DK

CY

SK

FR

NL

DE

EE

UK SI

LT

EU

27

PL

BE IT LU

RO

LV

CZ

ES

NO IS

Retailers sales channels: In-premises sales

D3. Which of the following sales channels do you use?Base: all retailers, % of mentions by country

Distance sales

In almost all countries included in this study, more than half of retailers mentioned at least

one out-of-premise (distance) sales channel; the only exception being Portugal: 47% of

retailers in this country indicated that they used at least one of the distance sales methods

listed in the survey, including the other out-of-premises sales channel option.

In Ireland, Denmark and the UK, the norm was to offer customers the possibility to purchase

goods or services without visiting the companys physical store or production site: between

88% and 93% of retailers in these countries offered at least one distance sales method to

customers.

5 Country charts in this report show the results for each of the 27 EU Member States, Iceland and

Norway. The EU27 results present the average result for the 27 EU Member States (without Iceland

and Norway) weished according to differences in population size across individual Member States.


page 11

9389 88

80 80 7974 73 72 71 69 69 68 68 67 66 64 63 61 59 59 58 56 55 55 53 51

47

81

63

0

20

40

60

80

100

UK

DK

IE

CZ

SI

ES

LU

EE

EU

27

DE

FR

AT

NL

EL

HU

IT

FI

SE

LV

MT

SK

PL

CY

BE

LT

BG

RO

PT IS

NO

Retailers using distance sales channels

Note: proportion of retailers that were using at least one distance sales channel (incl. via the Internet, by phone, via the postal service, doorstep selling or other out-of-premises channels)


The following chart shows for the EU overall and for each country the proportion of

retailers that mentioned at least one distance sales channel in 2009 and in 2010. The country

rankings showed similarities between the two surveys; for example, both in 2009 and in 2010,

retailers in Ireland, Denmark and the UK were the most likely to say that they used at least

one of the distance sales methods listed in the survey6.

91

90

83

63

72

73

52

64

70

72

64

73

66

68

62

57

68

63

61

72

55

67

55

68

67

43

51

52

79

83

93

89

88

80

80

79

74

73

72

71

69

69

68

68

67

66

64

63

61

59

59

58

56

55

55

53

51

47

81

63

0

20

40

60

80

100

UK

DK IE CZ SI

ES

LU

EE

EU

27

DE

FR

AT

NL

EL

HU IT FI

SE

LV

MT

SK

PL

CY

BE

LT

BG

RO

PT IS

NO

Fl278 (2009) Fl300 (2010)

Retailers using distance sales channels, 2009-2010

Note: proportion of retailers that were using at least one ditance sales channel (incl. via the Internet, by phone, via the postal service, doorstep selling or other out-of-premises channels)


When analysing the average number of distance sales channels (i.e. Internet, sales by phone,

by post, and doorstep sales7) used for retail purposes, it appears that an average retailer in the

EU offered at least one of these channels (1.35; the equivalent figure in 2009 was 1.31). Irish

and British retailers were those making the most use of multiple distance sales channels

(average number of such channels: 2.03 and 2.30, respectively), while those in Latvia, Bulgaria,

Portugal and Romania seemed to show less interest (averages between 0.56 and 0.60).

6 Due to the relatively small sample sizes, some caution should be exercised when comparing

individual country results across the different waves of the survey. 7 This number excludes other out-of-premises sales channels.


page 12

2.3

0

2.0

3

1.5

8

1.5

4

1.4

9

1.3

8

1.3

8

1.3

5

1.3

5

1.3

2

1.2

7

1.2

6

1.2

0

1.2

0

1.15

1.0

3

0.9

9

0.9

7

0.9

4

0.8

6

0.8

5

0.8

0

0.7

5

0.7

3

0.6

0

0.5

7

0.5

7

0.5

6

1.6

5

1.2

7

0

1

2

3

4

UK IE DK

FR SI

EL

EE

AT

EU

27

DE

LU

NL

SE

HU ES

CZ FI

MT IT SK

PL

BE

LT

CY

RO

PT

BG

LV IS

NO

Average number of distance sales channels used for retail purposes(Internet, telephone, mail order and doorstep selling)

Note: sum of affirmative answers (incl. via the Internet, by phone, via the postal service and doorstep selling)


While about a fifth (19%) of retailers in Romania said they sold goods or services via the

Internet, this proportion was almost four times higher in the UK (78%). In a further 12

countries, more than half of retailers used the Internet as a sales channel; for example, 54% in

Estonia, 57% in Iceland and 65% in Ireland.

Across most countries surveyed, the Internet was the most common distance sales channel.

For example, 58% of retailers in Austria said they sold goods or services via the Internet,

while using the telephone or mail order as sales channels were mentioned by smaller

proportions (43% and 27%, respectively).

78

6558 57 56 56 55 54 53 53 53 52 50 50 49 49 48 48

42 4136 35

31 31 28 26 2419

5751

0

20

40

60

80

100

UK IE AT

DK SI

EL

FR

EE

DE

EU

27

CZ

NL

ES

SE IT

HU

MT FI

LU

SK

BE

LT

CY

PT

PL

BG

LV

RO IS

NO

Retailers sales channels: the Internet


In accordance with the results observed in 2009, retailers in Romania, Latvia and Bulgaria

remained the least likely in the EU to use e-commerce for retail purposes. For example, in

both waves of the survey, roughly a fifth of retailers in Romania said they sold goods or

services via the Internet (19%-23%). Retailers in the UK, on the other hand, were once

again the most likely to use the Internet as a sales channel8.

8 Due to the relatively small sample sizes, some caution should be exercised when comparing

individual country results across the different waves of the survey.


page 13

71

58

57

50

55

44

52

37

54

51

46

49

44

54

47

34

58

48

31

35

53

46

26

30

35

27

29

23

54

65

78

65

58

57

56

56

55

54

53

53

53

52

50

50

49

49

48

48

42

41

36

35

31

31

28

26

24

19

57

51

0

20

40

60

80

100

UK

IE

AT

DK

SI

EL

FR

EE

DE

EU

27

CZ

NL

ES

SE

IT

HU

MT

FI

LU

SK

BE

LT

CY

PT

PL

BG

LV

RO IS

NO

Fl278 (2009) Fl300 (2010)

Retailers sales channels: Internet


As in the previous wave of this trend survey, sales by phone and via the postal service were

most frequently mentioned in the UK and Ireland: 80% and 74%, respectively, for the

telephone as a sales channel and 63% and 53%, respectively, for mail order.

In Portugal, Romania, Latvia and Bulgaria, on the other hand, less than a fifth of retailers said

they sold their products or services by phone (15%-18%), and mail order was mentioned as a

sales channel by less than a tenth of retailers in Latvia, Cyprus, Belgium and Portugal (5%-6%).

8074

5349 49 49

45 43 43 41 41 39 39 3934 34 33 33

30 29 28 25 2522

18 17 17 15

58

44

0

20

40

60

80

100

UK IE DK

FR

SE

EE SI

AT

EU

27

DE

NL

EL FI

LU ES

HU

BE

CZ

MT

CY

SK IT LT

PL

BG

LV

RO

PT IS

NO

Retailers sales channels: Telephone


63

53

36 3631 29 29 28 27 25 25 23 21 19 18 17 16 14 14 13 13 10 10 10

6 6 5 5

35

24

0

20

40

60

80

100

UK

IE

FR

SI

DE

EU

27

DK

LU

AT

NL

EL

EE

ES

SE

HU

MT

PL

CZ

SK

LT

IT

RO FI

BG

PT

BE

CY

LV IS

NO

Retailers sales channels: Mail order



page 14

Doorstep sales were most often used as a sales method by retailers in Denmark, Greece,

Luxembourg, Hungary and Poland (18%-20%), but were rarely used by retailers in Malta,

Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (2%-3%).

20 19 19 19 1815 14 13 12 11 10 10 9 9 8 7 7 7 6 6 5 4 3 3 3 2 2 2

158

0

20

40

60

80

PL

HU

LU

EL

DK

FR

RO SI

EE

IE

LV

ES

EU

27

UK

NL

CY

AT

DE

IT

PT

BE

BG

SK

CZ

SE

FI

LT

MT IS

NO

Retailers sales channels: Doorstep selling


Company characteristics

9

Selling products or services via distance sales channels was more characteristic of companies

with more employees; for example, while roughly two-thirds (66%) of respondents in large

companies (with 250 employees or more) said they made e-commerce sales, this proportion

dropped to 51% for respondents in small companies (between 10 and 49 employees).

Similarly, roughly half of respondents in medium-sized and large companies used the

telephone as a sales method (both 49%); the corresponding proportion for respondents in

small companies was 42%.

For further details, see annex table 4b.

1.2 Estimated turnover from e-commerce and other distance sales

Retailers were also asked to estimate turnover generated by e-commerce and other distance

sales. Many respondents found it difficult to answer these questions10

. For example, among

retailers that reported using the Internet as a sales channel, 22% said they did not know what

percentage of their turnover came from e-commerce, 8% said that this question was not

applicable to their situation and 4% thought that no turnover was generated by Internet sales.

In this section, we focus solely on those retailers that were able to estimate how much of their

total turnover came from Internet sales or other distance sales.

Focusing solely on retailers that were selling products or services via the Internet (and that

were able to estimate their turnover from e-commerce), 27% estimated that these sales

accounted for more than 30% of their total turnover and 24% said that this share was between

11% and 30%. About half of retailers in this group estimated that between 1% and 10% of

their turnover came from e-commerce.

9 This section and others discussing results by company characteristics focuses solely on

interviews conducted in the EU (i.e. they do not include Iceland and Norway). 10

Given that a relatively small number of respondents answered this question, caution should be

exercised when interpreting the results at individual country level; for more details, see annex table

10b and 11b.


page 15

Estimated percentage of total turnover from e-commerce and

Internet sales

33

1624

27 1 - 5%

6 - 10%

11 - 30%

30+ %

A2_a. Please indicate an estimate of the percentage of your total turnover from: e-commerce/Internet salesBase: retailers using e-commerce, % valid responses, EU27

22

9

20

49

Estimated percentage of total turnover from other distance sales

(by phone, via the postal service or via home visits)

A2_b. Please indicate an estimate of the percentage of your total turnover from: other distance sales (i.e. by

phone, post or home-visit)Base: Retailers using other distance sales channels than the

Internet, % valid responses, EU27

Focusing solely on retailers that were selling products or services via telephone, the postal

service or home visits (and that were able to estimate their turnover from such distance sales),

the largest proportion (48%) estimated that these distance sales accounted for more than 30%

of their total turnover. A fifth estimated that between 11% and 30% of their turnover came

from distance sales method other than e-commerce and about a third estimated that this

percentage was between 1% and 10%.

1.3 Retailers willingness to sell in different EU languages

More than 4 in 10 (45%) retailers in the EU said they were only prepared to carry out

transactions with customers in their own countrys language; this proportion was higher than

in previous waves (39% in 2008 and 34% in 2006).

Conversely, a slim majority of retailers were prepared to carry out transactions with

customers in more than one EU language. More precisely, 22% said they were willing to use

two EU languages with customers, 15% were able to carry out transactions in three EU

languages and 17% in four or more EU languages.

Number of EU languages that can be used to carry out transactions with customers

45

39

34

22

25

26

15

19

20

17

15

18

2

2

2

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

Country's language 2 languages 3 languages 4+ languages DK/NA

D6 (2010)/Q4(2008)/Q5(2006). In how many EU languages are you currently prepared to carry out transations with consumers?

Question not included in Fl278 (2009)Base: all retailers


page 16

Respondents in Ireland and the UK were the most likely to say that they were only prepared

to use English with customers (67% and 74%, respectively). In a further five countries, a

majority of respondents said they would only use their countrys language when carrying out

transactions with customers: 51% in Sweden and Bulgaria, 54% in Poland, 55% in Spain and

57% in France.

In several countries, the ability to use several languages with customers was the norm. More

than 8 in 10 retailers in Luxembourg (86%), Finland (89%) and Malta (92%) said they were

able to use at least one additional EU language to carry out transactions with customers. The

proportion of retailers that were prepared to use more than one EU language with customers

was also higher than three-quarters in Germany, Cyprus, Austria, Greece, Belgium and

Estonia (76%-78%).

7467

57 55 54 51 51 49 46 45 43 43 39 38 37 34 33 31 26 25 23 22 22 21 2013 11 7

35 31

2532

41 43 45 48 46 50 51 54 55 57 59 61 6258 66 67 72 76 76 76 76 76 78

86 89 92

6163

2 1 2 2 1 1 3 2 3 2 2 1 2 1 2 81 2 3 0 1 2 2 3 2 1 0 1 4 7

0

20

40

60

80

100

UK IE FR

ES

PL

BG

SE

RO

LV

EU

27

DK

PT IT SI

CZ

NL

HU

SK

LT

DE

CY

AT

EL

BE

EE

LU FI

MT IS

NO

Country's language only At least one other EU language DK/NA

Number of EU languages that can be used to carry out transactions with consumers

D6. In how many EU languages are you currently prepared to carry out transations with consumers?Base: all retailers, % by country


More than 4 in 10 (45%) respondents in small companies said they were only prepared to

carry out transactions with customers in their own countrys language; this proportion

decreased to 35% for respondents from large companies.

The proportion of respondents who said they were prepared to use two or three EU languages

with customers was similar in small, medium-sized and large companies (between 34% and

37%); respondents in large companies, however, were more likely to answer that they were

able to use four or more EU languages to carry out transactions with customers (28% vs. 16%

in small companies and 23% in medium-sized companies).



page 17

1.4 Retailers having subsidiaries or retail outlets in other EU countries

As in 2009, a tenth of retailers

said that they had subsidiaries or

retail outlets in the EU outside

their own country. More

precisely, 4% of retailers had

subsidiaries or retail outlets in

one other EU country, 2% in two

or three countries other than the

one in which the interview took

place, and 4% in at least four

other EU countries.

More than 8 in 10 (83%) retailers

in the EU said they had no

business units in other EU

countries; at the individual

country level, this proportion

varied between 58% in Estonia

and 92% in Greece.

A quarter of retailers in Luxembourg (25%), and about a fifth of those in the Czech Republic,

Estonia and Slovakia (19%-20%), reported having at least one subsidiary or outlet in another

EU country. It should, however, also be noted that 23% of respondents in Estonia did not

know the exact number of countries in which they had subsidiaries or retail outlets; other

countries with a high proportion of dont know responses were Spain (15%), the

Netherlands (17%), Romania (18%) and Bulgaria (26%).

92 89 88 88 88 87 87 86 86 86 83 82 81 81 80 80 80 78 77 77 76 76 75 74 70 69 6958

8271

6 8 8 8 12 5 8 1114

8 10 12 10 1219

13 1310 12 13 8

177

20

1325

619

17

16

2 3 4 4 1 7 6 30

7 8 6 8 71

7 7 12 11 11 157

186

176

26 23

113

0

20

40

60

80

100

EL

UK

DE

SE IE

HU

MT FI

SI

PL

EU

27

LT IT PT

CZ

FR

LV

AT

DK

CY

ES

BE

RO

SK

NL

LU

BG

EE IS

NO

None At least one DK/NA

Number of EU countries where retailers have subsidiaries or retail outlets

D1. In how many EU countries outside [YOUR COUNTRY] do you have subsidiaries or retail outlets?Base: all retailers, % by country

Number of EU countries where retailers have subsidiaries or retail outlets

83

82

83

82

4

3

4

4

2

2

3

3

4

5

4

5

8

8

6

6

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl278 (2009) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

None 1 2 - 3 4 + DK/NA

D1(2010)/C5(2009). In how many EU countries outside [YOUR COUNTRY] do you have subsidiaries or retail outlets?

D4(2008). Besides [COUNTRY], in how many EU countries do you have subsidiaries or retail outlets?

D4(2006). Including [COUNTRY], in how many EU countries do you have subsidiaries or retail outlets? - countries

Base: all retailers, %EU27


page 18


The larger a retailing companys workforce, the more likely it was to have subsidiaries or

retail outlets in several EU countries. For example, a sixth of respondents from companies

with at least 250 employees said that they had subsidiaries or retail outlets in at least four

other EU countries, compared to 6% of respondents in companies with between 50 and 249

employees and 3% in companies with between 10 and 49 employees.



page 19

2. Level of cross-border trade in the internal market

The level of cross-border transactions is one measure of the degree of integration of the retail

side of the internal market; it reflects the extent to which retailers are prepared to sell directly

to consumers throughout the internal market. Business potential for cross-border trade,

however, has failed to materialise in the past few years: in the current survey, 22% of retailers

said they were conducting cross-border transactions. This proportion was lower in 2006

(29%) or 2009 (25%), but slightly higher than what was observed in 2008 (20%).

In detail, this chapter looks at the following characteristics of the retailers surveyed:

number of EU countries to which retailers make cross-border sales

estimated turnover from cross-border activities

number of countries where retailers actively advertise their products or services

interest in making (more) cross-border sales if regulations were harmonised

2.1 Current cross-border sales

Roughly three-quarters (74%) of retailers in the EU did not sell products or services to

customers in other EU countries. This proportion was slightly higher than was measured in

2009 (71%), but similar to what was observed in 2008 (75%).

Slightly more than a fifth of retailers said they also sold to consumers in other EU countries.

More precisely, 2% of retailers reported selling products and services in just one additional EU

country, 6% mentioned two or three other EU countries and the largest proportion 13% was

engaged in cross-border sales in at least four other EU countries.

Number of EU countries where retailers make cross-border sales to final consumers, 2006-2010

74

71

75

67

2

5

4

6

6

6

6

9

13

14

10

14

4

4

4

4

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl278 (2009) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

None 1 2 - 3 4 + DK/NA

A1(2010)/C6(2009)/Q5(2008)/Q6(2006). To how many EU countries do you currently make cross-border sales to final consumers?

Base: all retailers

The prevalence of cross-border activity continued to vary significantly across the EU: the

proportion of retailers not selling to consumers in other EU countries ranged from 45% in

Luxembourg to 90% in Poland. In Finland and Romania, nearly 9 in 10 retailers only sold to

customers in their own country (87%-88%).

Cross-border selling was most common in Luxembourg: 54% of retailers in this country

reported selling their products or services in at least one additional EU country. Furthermore,

25% of retailers in Luxembourg said they sold their products or services in at least four other


page 20

EU countries. Retailers in Italy, the UK, Greece, Slovenia, Malta and Iceland were, however,

almost as likely to make cross-border sales in at least four EU countries (18%-22%).

In accordance with the results observed in 2009, retailers in Luxembourg and Romania were

at the extremes in terms of cross-border activity. Furthermore, for the EU overall and for

many individual countries, the proportion of retailers that reported selling their products or

services in at least one additional EU country appears to be somewhat lower in 2010 than in

200911

.

46

43

32

29

15 22

33

30

25

24

24

37

26

32

35

25

19 14 23

29

15 25

19 15 12 16 30

8 32

21

54

32

30

30

29

29

27

27

27

25

24

24

23

23

22

22

21

20

19 19 19 18 18 17 14

10 10 9

30

18

0

20

40

60

80

100

LU

AT

EL

SK

BE

IT

SI

DK

NL

UK

MT

IE

LT

EE

DE

EU

27

HU

LV

CY

CZ

SE

FR

ES

PT

BG

FI

PL

RO IS

NO

Fl278 (2009) Fl300 (2010)

Number of EU countries where retailers make cross-border sales to final consumers

A1(2010)/C6(2009)/Q5(2008)/Q6(2006). To how many EU countries do you currently make cross-border sales to final consumers? Base: all retailers, % Sell to at least one another EU country by country

5 5 2 4 6 3 1 17 3 2 3 5 3 2 2 2 4 3 3 3 1 2 1 3 2 3 1 3 4

2515

913 11

87 10

8

3 2 77 11

6 7 11 6 9 6 7 6 4 5 5 1 4 35 4

25

1220

13 1218

20 1613

19 2114 11 9 13 13 8 10 8 10 9 11 12 11 6

7 3 5

22

11

0

20

40

60

80

LU

AT

EL

SK

BE

IT

SI

DK

NL

UK

MT

IE

LT

EE

EU

27

DE

HU

LV

CZ

CY

SE

FR

ES

PT

BG

FI

PL

RO IS

NO

1 2 - 3 4 +


A1. To how many EU countries do you currently make cross-border sales to final consumers?Base: all retailers, % by country

Number of countries other than own:

11

Due to the relatively small sample sizes, some caution should be exercised when comparing

individual country results across the different waves of the survey.


page 21

54

32 30 30 29 29 27 27 27 25 24 24 23 23 22 22 21 20 19 19 19 18 18 1714

10 10 9

30

18

45

6168 69

64 66

73 71

6368

75 74 73 7677 74

7974

77 78 7880 78 80

8287

90 88

67

81

0

20

40

60

80

100

LU

AT

EL

SK

BE IT SI

DK

NL

UK

MT IE LT

EE

DE

EU

27

HU

LV

CY

CZ

SE

FR

ES

PT

BG FI

PL

RO IS

NO

Selling in at least one other EU country Selling only to consumers in their own country


A1. To how many EU countries do you currently make cross-border sales to final consumers?Base: all retailers, % by country


Companies with at least 50 employees, those with subsidiaries or retail outlets in another EU

country, companies using distance sales channels and those prepared to carry out transactions

with customers in more than one EU language were more likely to be engaged in cross-border

sales. For example, 45% of companies with subsidiaries or outlets in another EU country sold

their products or services in different countries, compared to only 19% of companies without

such subsidiaries or outlets.

For more details, see annex table 9b

2.2 Estimated turnover from cross-border activities

As seen in section 1.2, many respondents found it difficult to answer questions about turnover

generated by e-commerce and other distance sales; as such, caution should be exercised when

interpreting the results in this section12

. In this section, we focus solely on those retailers that

were able to estimate how much of their total turnover came from Internet sales or other

distance sales to consumers living in other EU countries.

Focusing solely on retailers that were using e-commerce and that reported selling their

products or services across borders (and that were able to answer this question), 56% said that

more than 10% of their e-commerce turnover came from sales in other EU countries and 44%

estimated that this proportion was between 1% and 10%. The corresponding proportions for

retailers that were using other distance sales channels were 55% and 45%, respectively.

12

Given that a relativaley small number of respondents answered this question, caution should be

exercised when interpreting these results at individual country level; for more details, see annex table

12b and 13b.


page 22

Estimated percentage of the total value of e-commerce and Internet sales to

consumers living in other EU countries

31

13

56

1 - 5%

6 - 10%

11 + %

A3. Of the total value of your E-COMMERCE/INTERNET SALES, can you estimate the percentage to consumers

living in other EU countries?Base: retailers making cross-borders sales and involved in e-

commerce, and that gave an estimated percentage of their total turnover from e-commerce, % valid responses, EU27

32

12

56

Estimated percentage of total turnover from from distance sales to consumers living in

other EU countries

A4. Can you estimate what percentage of your total sales to final consumers by phone, post, e-commerce and home-

visit are cross-border sales to EU countries?Base: retailers that were using other distance sales channels and

selling across borders and that gave an estimated percentage of their total turnover from distance sales, %EU27

2.3 Retailers advertising in other EU countries

Two-thirds of retailers in the EU did not actively advertise their products or services to

consumers in other EU countries; almost a quarter (24%) said they did. The latter proportion

was 21% in 2008 and 25% in 2006.

In order to facilitate cross-border sales, 5% of retailers advertised in one other EU country

(5% in 2008) and the same proportion said they marketed their products or services in two or

three additional countries (6% in 2008). Almost three times as many (14%) of retailers said

they advertised in four or more other EU countries (10% in 2008).

Number of other EU countries where retailers actively market/advertise to final consumers

67

72

69

5

5

5

5

6

7

14

10

13

9

7

7

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

None 1 2 - 3 4 + DK/NA

D5(2010)/Q2(2008). Besides [COUNTRY], to how many EU countries do you actively market/advertise to final consumers?

Q2(2006). Including [COUNTRY], to how many EU countries do you actively market/advertise to final consumers?

Question not included in Fl278 (2009)Base: all retailers

In accordance with the results for prevalence of cross-border trade, retailers in Luxembourg

were the most likely to say that they actively advertised their products or services in other EU

countries (43%). Slovakia was close to Luxembourg with 40% of retailers advertising across


page 23

borders. In Romania, Sweden, Hungary, Finland and Norway, however, less than a sixth of

retailers marketed their products or services in other EU countries (13%-15%).

43 4033 33 32 32 30 29 29 27 27 26 25 24 24 23 23 23 20 19 19 18 18 17 15 15 13 13

31

15

48 52 6457 61 63 66

53

71

50

7065 66 65 67 68 63 65 72 71

62 6874

58

82 79 79 74

63

66

9 83

10 7 54

18

0

23

39 9 11 9 9 14 12

8 1019 14

7

25

4 6 814

619

0

20

40

60

80

100

LU

SK

CZ IT

MT

EL IE AT SI

EE

DE

LV

UK

BE

EU

27

LT

PT

CY

DK

FR

NL

ES

PL

BG FI

HU SE

RO IS

NO

At least one other EU country Only their own country DK/NA

Number of EU countries where retailers actively market/advertise to final consumers

D5. Besides [COUNTRY], to how many EU countries do you actively market/advertise to final consumers?Base: all retailers, % by country

As expected, cross-border advertising and cross-border sales were linked to each other: more

than a quarter (28%) of retailers selling across borders indicated that they also marketed their

products or services in one, two or three additional countries and almost half of them said

they advertised in at least four other EU countries; the latter figure has gradually increased

from 31% in 2006 and 34% in 2008 to 45% in 2010.

Number of other EU countries where retailers actively market/advertise to final consumers

30

31

37

4

13

12

14

18

16

45

34

31

8

4

3

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

None 1 2 - 3 4 + DK/NA

D5(2010)/Q2(2008). Besides [COUNTRY], to how many EU countries do you actively market/advertise to final consumers?

Q2(2006). Including [COUNTRY], to how many EU countries do you actively market/advertise to final consumers?

Question not included in Fl278 (2009)Base: retailers that made cross-border sales

The following chart illustrates that cross-border advertising and cross-border sales were not in

all countries linked to each other. For example, while 88% of Czech retailers that were selling

their products or services in other EU countries said they also actively advertised their

products or services to consumers in other EU countries; the corresponding proportion was

just 31% in the Netherlands. In the latter country, 57% of those selling across borders

indicated that they did not advertise their products or services across borders.


page 24

88 83 83 81 81 80 80 80 8073 72 71 71

64 64 63 62 59 59 59 58 5444 42 39 35 31 30

63

43

1110 10 11 9 14 11

17 18

1325

1422

2936 35

3031

3931 34 37

47 48 57

3857

64

26

25

1 6 7 7 10 6 94 2

153

146 8

0 18 10

211 8 9 9 10

3

27

126 10

32

0

20

40

60

80

100 C

Z

SK

*P

L

MT

IT

*L

V

*RO

EL

*P

T

EE

IE

ES

*C

Y

LU SI

DE

EU

27

LT

*F

I

AT

*FR

UK

BE

DK

*S

E

*BG

NL

*H

U IS

*NO

At least one other EU country Only their own country DK/NA

Number of EU countries where retailers actively market/advertise to final consumersBase: retailers making cross-border sales

D5. Besides [COUNTRY], to how many EU countries do you actively market/advertise to final consumers?Note: * n


page 25

Number of EU countries where companies would make cross-border sales if laws regulating transactions were the same in the EU, 2006-2010

57

58

41

46

3

3

5

5

5

5

16

13

5

7

12

12

20

18

16

18

10

9

10

6

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl278 (2009) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

None 1 2 - 3 4 - 10 10+ DK/NA

A5(2010)/C7(2009)/Q13(2008)/Q17(2006). If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the

27 Member States to how many EU countries would you be interested in making cross-border sales to final consumers?

Base: all retailers

Focusing solely on retailers that made domestic sales only, more than 7 in 10 (72%; up from

62% in 2006) said that they would also not be interested in making cross-border sales if laws

regulating transactions were the same across the EU, while half of retailers that made cross-

border sales (51% vs. 36% in 2006) would be interested in selling their products or services in

more than 10 other Member States.

72

76

51

62

3

2

5

5

5

4

17

11

4

4

10

7

11

8

9

9

7

6

10

6

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl278 (2009) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

Number of EU countries where companies would make cross-border sales if laws regulating transactions were the same in the EU, 2006-2010

14

14

9

12

3

5

6

6

5

8

16

18

11

16

22

24

51

45

39

36

15

11

8

3

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl278 (2009) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

A5(2010)/C7(2009)/Q13(2008)/Q17(2006). If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States to how many EU countries would you be interested in making

cross-border sales to final consumers?Base: all retailers

Retailers that made cross-border sales

Retailers that do not made cross-border sales

14 3 5 11 51 15Fl300 (2010) %EU27 None 1 2 - 3 4 - 10 10+ DK/NA

Retailers in Finland were not only among the least likely to sell their products across borders

(see previous section), they also most frequently reported not being interested in cross-border

sales even if regulations on cross-border transactions were harmonised (75%). Somewhat lower

proportions of uninterested retailers were found in Portugal (69%), France and Malta (both

67%).

In Greece and Luxembourg, on the other hand, a majority of retailers answered that they would

be interested in making cross-border sales if laws regulating transactions were the same across

the EU (60% and 53%, respectively). It should, however, also be noted that retailers in Greece

were twice as likely as their counterparts in Luxembourg to say that they would like to sell their

products or services in all other Member States (25% vs. 13%).


page 26

7569 67 67 63 61 61 60 59 58 58 58 57 56 56 55 54 51 51 51 50 50 48 48 48 42 38

30

74

39

811

82 12 10 10

2115

920

6 11 1319 15

820 15 16

6

22

1018 22

1934

18

5

17

6 76

84 10 8

612

12

7

13 10 6

117

10

88 10

16

12

139

11

7

7

17

5

13

5 7 1215 5

1613 1

69

715 12

5

8

1 116

510 19

8

16 11

14

10

12

25

4

14

7 7 7 916

39 12 8 12 9 8 10

207

21 18 16 2114 10

8 13 155

229 10 13 18

0

20

40

60

80

100

FI

PT

FR

MT

SE

DE

DK

HU

CZ IE PL

ES

EU

27

BE

AT

NL IT EE

RO

LV

UK

SK

CY

BG SI

LT

LU

EL

NO IS

None 1-6 7 -25 26 DK/NA

Number of EU countries where companies would make cross-border sales if laws regulating transactions were the same in the EU

A5. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States to how many EU countries would you be interested in making cross-border sales to final consumers?

Base: all retailers, % by country

More than 7 in 10 (72%) retailers that were not making cross-border sales at the time of the

survey said that they would also not be interested in making cross-border sales if laws

regulating transactions were the same across the EU. In comparison, among retailers selling

across borders, 14% said they would no longer be interested in making cross-border sales in a

more harmonised regulatory environment, while more than a quarter (28%) would be

interested in selling their products or services in all other Member States.

EU harmonised regulations boosting cross-border activity

14

72

3

2

5

5

6

2

28

5

28

7

15

7

Selling to at least one other EUcountry

Selling only to consumers in theirown country

None 1 2 - 3 4 - 6 7 - 25 26 DK/NA

A1. To how many EU countries do you currently make cross-border sales to final consumers?

A5. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States to how many EU countries would you be

interested in making cross-border sales to final consumers?Base: all retailers

The proportion of retailers that would not engage in cross-border sales even if regulations

were harmonised was considerably smaller than the proportion that are currently not selling

across borders (57% vs. 74%). It appears, therefore, that retailers would be somewhat more

open to engaging in cross-border sales if the risks of failing to comply with various national

regulations could be eliminated (i.e. by establishing harmonised EU rules). The survey in

2009 reached a similar conclusion (71% said they did not sell across borders at the time of the

survey and 58% would not engage in cross-border sales even if regulations were harmonised).


page 27


5

8

6

2

74

4

20

5

5

3

57

10

More than 10 EU countries

4-10 EU countries

2-3 EU countries

1 EU country

Selling only to consumers inown country

DK/NA

Current cross-border sales

Cross-border sales, ifregulation were harmonised


A5. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same througout the 27 Member States to how many EU countries would you be interested in making cross-border sales to final consumers?

Base: all retailers, % EU27

Base: all retailers

23

38

29

11

0

0

51

11

5

3

14

15


4-10 EU countries

2-3 EU countries

1 EU country


DK/NA




A5. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same througout the 27 Member States to how many EU countries would you be interested in making cross-border sales to final consumers?

Base: retailers that made cross-border sales, % EU27


Base: retailers making cross-border sales

0

0

0

0

100

0

11

4

5

3

72

7


4-10 EU countries

2-3 EU countries

1 EU country


DK/NA




A5. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States to how many EU countries

would you be interested in making cross-border sales to final consumers?


Base: retailers not making cross-border sales


page 28

In all countries surveyed, retailers appeared to be more open to sell their products or services in

other EU countries if regulations were harmonised. The difference between actual and potential

engagement in cross-border trade was the largest in Greece and Romania. About two-thirds

(68%) of Greek retailers did not sell across borders at the time of the survey; however, just 30%

said they would not engage in such sales even if regulations were harmonised. The

corresponding proportions in Romania were 88% and 51%, respectively.

In Austria, on the other hand, the proportion of retailers that would not be interested in cross-

border sales in a more harmonised regulatory environment was similar to the proportion not

currently engaged in cross-border sales (56% vs. 61%).

68

88

82

90

73 7

7

73 7

6

74 7

8

69

79

78

68

74 77

74 7

8 80

87

66

80

71

64

63

75

45

61 6

7

81

30

51

48

58

42 4

8

48 5

1

51

58

50

60

59

50

57 6

1

58 6

3 67

75

54

69

61

56

55

67

38

56

39

74

0

20

40

60

80

100

EL

RO

BG

PL

LT

CY SI

EE

LV

ES

SK

HU

CZ

UK

EU

27

DE IE SE

FR FI

IT PT

DK

BE

NL

MT

LU

AT IS

NO

Not trading cross-border No interest in cross-border sales, even if regulations were harmonised


A1. To how many EU countries do you currently make cross-border sales to final consumers?A5. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member

States to how many EU countries would you be interested in making cross-border sales to final consumers?Base: all retailers, % by country

EU harmonised regulations boosting cross-border trade total level of cross-border sales

Roughly 3 in 10 retailers in the EU thought their cross-border sales would increase if laws

regulating transactions with consumers were the same across the EU: 8% said that such sales

would increase a lot and 23% thought they would increase a little. In accordance with the

results discussed in the previous section, the surveys current results were less positive than

those measured in 2008 when 46% of retailers thought their cross-border sales proportion

would increase a lot or a little.

Virtually none of the retailers participating in the survey thought that their cross-border sales

would decrease in a more harmonised regulatory environment. A slim majority (55%) said

that EU harmonised regulations would have no effect on their cross-border sales and 13%

could not say if there would be any effect.


page 29

Estimated effect of EU harmonised regulations on cross-border activity, 2006-2010

A10b(2010)/Q12(2008). If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States of the EU

do you think that the level of your cross-border sales would ...Q16_A(2006). If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with

consumers were the same throughout the 25 member states of the EU do you think that ... - the proportion of your cross-border sales would


8

16

15

23

30

28

1

2

2

0

1

1

55

41

39

13

10

14

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

Increase a lot Increase a little Decrease a little

Decrease a lot Would not change DK/NA

Half of the retailers that were making cross-border sales at the time of the survey also said

that their sales would increase if laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same

across the EU (12% increase a lot and 38% increase a little). In comparison, among

retailers not selling across borders, a quarter said that their level of cross-border sales would

increase in a more harmonised regulatory environment (7% increase a lot and 18%

increase a little).

Estimated effect of EU harmonised regulations on cross-border activity

12

38

0.20.4

41

8

Increase a lot

Increase a little

Decrease a little

Decrease a lot

Would not change

DK/NA

A10b(2010)/Q12(2008). If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States of the EU do you think that the level of your cross-border sales would ...


7

18

0.80.4

60

14

Retailers conducting cross-border transactions

Retailers selling only to consumers in their own country

In accordance with the results discussed above, even when focusing solely on retailers that

were making cross-border sales at the time of the survey, the surveys current results were

less positive than those observed in previous years. In the current survey, 50% of this group of

retailers thought that their cross-border sales would increase a lot or a little; the

corresponding figure was 57% in 2008 (+7 points compared to 2010) and 53% in 2006 (+3

points compared to 2010).


page 30

Estimated effect of EU harmonised regulations on cross-border activity, 2006-2010

A10b(2010)/Q12(2008). If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States of the EU

do you think that the level of your cross-border sales would ...Q16_A(2006). If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with

consumers were the same throughout the 25 member states of the EU do you think that ... - the proportion of your cross-border sales would

Base: retailers that made cross-border sales, %EU27

12

19

18

38

38

35

0

3

3

0

1

2

41

35

36

8

4

7

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fl186 (2006) %EU25

Increase a lot Increase a little Decrease a little

Decrease a lot Would not change DK/NA

In accordance with results for the previous question about potential engagement in cross-

border trade, retailers in Greece were the most likely to say that regulatory harmonisation

would have a positive effect on their level of cross-border sales (62%). In Malta, France,

Finland, Portugal, Denmark and Sweden, on the other hand, less than a quarter of respondents

said there would be such a positive effect (17%-24%). In five of these countries, roughly two-

thirds or more of retailers said that EU harmonised regulations would have no effect on

their cross-border sales (between 65% and 77%); in Malta, however, just 39% of retailers

shared this view and 43% were unable or unwilling to say if their cross-border sales

would change.

62

46 46 43 43 41 40 38 37 37 36 35 34 33 32 32 31 30 29 29 28 28 24 23 21 18 17 1723 20

2

2 21 3 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2

1 10 1 1 1

00

24

3850

2832

50 48

40 47 4657

42 44 4962

4355 62 64 54

4656 65 67 75 77

71

39

6258

13 143

2822

8 1021

15 165

21 2115

6

2413

7 616

2415

10 84 4

10

43

1421

0

20

40

60

80

100

EL

SK

LU

RO

CY IE SI

BG

ES

PL

AT IT LV

BE

DE

LT

EU

27

CZ

HU

EE

NL

UK

SE

DK

PT FI

FR

MT IS

NO

Increase Decrease Would not change DK/NA

Estimated effect of harmonised regulations on cross-border activity

A10b. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States of the EU do you think that the level of your cross-border sales would ...

Base: all retailers, % by country

In accordance with results for all respondents, when focusing on companies that were making

cross-border sales at the time of the survey, retailers in Greece were the most likely to say that

regulatory harmonisation would have a positive effect on their level of cross-border sales

(70%).


page 31

8270 67 66 66 65 63 61 61 59

53 53 51 50 50 50 48 47 47 45 42 41 41 39 36 36 36 35 36 35

0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 34 0 1 5 2 3

0 2 0 0 0 1 2 40 0 3 0 0 1

925 29 26 28 34 36 35 37 33

3536 41 36 36

46

3244

40 42 51 5055 52

52 4855 60

5340

9 5 4 7 51 1 3 1 5 8 11 8 9 12

1

207

14 136 8

2 512 16

6 5 1224

0

20

40

60

80

100*R

O

EL

IE

*P

L

SK

CZ

DE

ES

AT

SI

*L

V

*C

Y

EU

27

EE

IT

LU

MT

LT

BE

*BG

*F

I

NL

*H

U

*S

E

UK

*F

R

DK

*P

T IS

*NO

Increase Decrease Would not change DK/NA

Estimated effects of harmonised regulations on cross-border activity

A10b. If the provisions of the laws regulating transactions with consumers were the same throughout the 27 Member States of the EU do you think that the level of your cross-border sales would ...

* Note: n


page 32

3. Information and awareness of legal obligations towards consumers

In this chapter, we look at retailers knowledge of their legal obligations towards consumers

distinguishing between legislation dealing with the economic interests of consumers (in this

report referred to as consumer legislation) and legislation on food and product safety.

In almost all countries included in this study, more than two-thirds of retailers felt they were

at least well informed about their legal obligations towards consumers arising from consumer

legislation in force in their country.

In the last section of this chapter, we analyse retailers knowledge of where to find relevant

information or where to ask for advice on consumer legislation in force in their country or in

other EU countries.

3.1 Perceived level of information about legislation on consumer

protection, food and product safety

More than 8 in 10 (82%) retailers felt they were at least well informed about legal obligations

towards consumers arising from consumer legislation in force in their country: 58% of

respondents felt well informed and 24% said they were fully informed.

A minority of respondents answered that they did not feel informed about this topic: 13% said

they were not well informed about consumer legislation and 3% did not feel informed at all.

These results were practically unchanged compared to those in the previous wave.

Self-perceived level of information about legal obligations towards consumers, 2008-2010

A6(2010)/A1(2009)/Q15(2008). How well informed are you about your legal obligations towards consumers arising from consumer

legislation in your country?Base: all retailers

24

23

19

58

60

58

13

13

17

4

3

5

2

1

1

Fl300 (2010) %EU27

Fl278 (2009) %EU27

Fl224 (2008) %EU27

Fully informed Well informed Not well informed

Not informed at all DK/NA

Across all countries surveyed, more than 6 in 10 retailers felt at least well informed about their

legal obligations towards consumers (ranging from 65% in France to 96% in Slovakia).

Retailers in Malta were the most likely to answer that they were fully informed about consumer

legislation in force in their country (80%). In Austria, Latvia, Spain, Hungary, Cyprus and

Bulgaria, more than a third of retailers gave a similar response (between 35% and 39%).

Retailers in Poland, Belgium, Sweden and France, on the other hand, most frequently said

they did not feel well informed or did not feel informed at all about this topic (between 23%

and 32%).


page 33

25

80

2113

33 39 35 30 34 34 2534 36

27 21 2531

1927

1624 19 19

2613

2415 15 10

16

71

15

7381

58 51 54 60 55 5462

52 5059

64 5953

6557

6658

62 60 51

6351

5950

6964

3 4 5 65 8 9 9 10 10 13 11 11 11 12 11 9

14 1310 13 9 16 16 19 18 15

21

17 13

0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 1 10 2 3 3 3 4 7

1 34

47

5 5 4 5 8 112 5

0

20

40

60

80

100S

K

MT

EE

PT

CZ

BG

HU

RO

AT

LV

DE

ES

CY FI

IE SI

LU LT

EL

NL

EU

27

UK

DK IT PL

BE

SE

FR IS

NO

Fully informed Well informed Not well informed Not informed at all DK/NA

Self-perceived level of information about legal obligations towards consumers

A6. How well informed are you about your legal obligations towards consumers arising from consumer legislation in your country?Base: all retailers, % by country

Retailers in the EU were as confident when it came to their knowledge of rules and

regulations relating to product safety: 56% of retailers that sell consumer products13

felt

well informed and a further 30% said they were fully informed on this topic (+8 percentage

points compared to 2009). About a tenth (11%) of retailers did not feel well informed, or did

not feel informed at all, about product safety regulations.

Self-perceived level of information about legislation on product safety, 2009-2010

30

56

92 2

Fully informed

Well informed

Not well informed

Not informed at all

DK/NA

A7(2010)/A3(2009). How well are you informed about the legislation on product safety? Base: retailers that sell products, %EU27

22

58

15

3 2

Fl300 (2010) Fl278 (2009)

Focusing solely on retailers that reported selling consumer products, it was noted that 95%-

96% of these retailers in Hungary, Malta and Slovakia felt at least well informed about

product safety legislation; this proportion, however, decreased to 57% in Sweden. Almost 4 in

10 (37%) respondents in Sweden admitted feeling not well inform

retailers' attitudes towards cross-border trade and consumer

Documents