National Consumer Agency Consumer Empowerment and Complaints Market

National Consumer Agency Consumer Empowerment and Complaints Market Research Findings August 2009 Research Conducted by

2 Table of Contents § § A. B. § KEY FINDINGS: § § SECTION 1: Consumer Rights Awareness Levels SECTION 2: Making Complaints Research Background & Methodology Profile of Sample Making Complaints

3 B. Profile of Sample – I (Base: All aged 15 -74 – 1, 000) % % % 15 -17 MAIN GROCERY SHOPPER % AB 18 -24 Married Male 25 -34 Making Complaints 35 -44 Female Living as Married 45 -54 Single 55 -64 65 -74 C 1 C 2 D E Wid/Div/ Sep F 50+ F 50 - Yes No

4 Section 1: Consumer Rights Awareness Levels Making Complaints

5 Confidence About Rights as a Consumer (Base: All aged 15 -74 – 1, 000) Level of Confidence % % Very confident (5) Fairly confident (4) 70% Making Complaints 74% 75% 66% 18% 21% Neither/Nor (3) Not very confident (2) Not at all confident (1) 15% 12%

6 Knowledge About Consumer Rights (Base: All aged 15 -74 – 1, 000) Level of Knowledge % % Very knowledgeable (5) Fairly knowledgeable (4) 62% 68% 69% Making Complaints 59% 24% 26% Neither/Nor (3) Not very knowledgeable (2) Not at all knowledgeable (1) 20% 15%

7 Protected Regarding Consumer Rights (Base: All aged 15 -74 – 1, 000) Level of Protection % % % Very protected (5) 60% 70% 65% Making Complaints 61% Fairly protected (4) Neither/Nor (3) Not very protected (2) Not at all protected (1) 16% 10% 18% 16%

8 Section 2: Making Complaints

9 Complaining Nation? (Base: All aged 15 -74 – 1, 000) 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? Making Complaints Yes No () = Wave 2 ‘ 08 (17%) (83%)

10 Goods & Services Bought with Reason to Complain or Return an Item – Primary & Secondary (Base: All aged 15 -74 – 1, 000) % With Reason to Complain or Return Ever Reason to Complain/Return from: PRIMARY SECONDARY Supermarkets and newsagents TV Service Providers e. g. Sky, NTL Shops selling clothing or footwear Building and related services e. g. plumbers Restaurants take-away’s or hotels Communications services including home phone. . . (+11%) Shops selling furniture or household appliances Making Complaints (+6%) Banking products and services, including a current A/C Pubs Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Airlines Car dealers Insurance products and services Energy suppliers e. g. ESB, Bord Gais (+5%)

Whether Complaint Made When had Reason to Do So Reason to Complain (Base: All aged 15 -74 – 1, 000) Whether Made Complaint (Base: All those who had cause or reason to complain in past 12 months - 400) Making Complaints No Yes No (61%) () = Wave 2 ‘ 08 (39%) (25%) (75%) Yes 12

13 Reasons for Complaint (Base: All those who made a complaint in past 12 months - 275) Reasons for Complaint: Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Faulty product/service Product/service didn’t do what it said it would do Making Complaints Wrong size/colour/specification The product/service did not confer the benefits as described to me by the salesperson Changed mind/wanted to return the item Unwanted gift Other Benchmark 2007

14 Assessment of the Complaints Process Difficulty Experienced Level of Difficulty Experienced (Base: All who experienced difficulty – 80) % (Base: All who made a complaint – 275) Unhelpful staff % The retailer/provider never got back to me Difficulty contacting trader Very easy (5) Making Complaintsconsumer I was unsure of my 61% rights Refusal of retailer to refund my money Somewhat easy (4) Neither/Nor (3) Did not have receipt Somewhat difficult (2) Refusal to repair returned item 29% Very difficult (1) Mean * New Question Had to put complaint in writing 3. 5 Other # All others 6% or less

15 Emotional Cost of Problem/Complaint (Base: All those who made a complaint in past 12 months - 275) Wave 3 2009 Wave 1 2008 To what extent have you felt: A great deal % A little Total Experience % % (-12%) Under stress Angry Making Complaints (+5%) Worried Frustrated Relaxed about the problem but determined to solve it (+10%)

16 Reasons for Not Complaining (Base: All those who had reason to make a complaint but didn’t in past 12 months - 125) Reasons for Not Complaining: Wave 3 2009 I did not want the hassle of having to make a complaint Wave 2 2008 Wave 1 2008 Benchmark 2007 (-27%) I didn’t see the point of complaining I didn’t have time to make a complaint Making Complaints I did not want to get anyone in trouble by making a complaint (+8%) I was afraid to make a complaint I was unsure of my consumer rights Difficulty contacting trader Other ** ** **

17 Resolution Status of Problem (Base: All those who made a complaint in past 12 months - 275) Whether Complaint Resolved % Refused/ Not Stated (25%) Completely resolved Making Complaints Not resolved at all (66%) (4%) Partly resolved (5%)

18 Satisfaction with the Way Complaint was Handled (Base: All who’s complaint was completely resolved – 201) Likely to do as a result Level of Satisfaction % % 139 People Completely satisfied (7) 69% Tell people you know of your positive experience with them Do nothing, just accept what has happened Do more business with them yourself Making Complaints Very satisfied (6) Fairly satisfied (5) Neither/nor/ Don’t know (4) Fairly dissatisfied (3) Very dissatisfied (2) Mean * New Question 11 People 5% 5. 8 Tell people you know not to do business with them Stop doing business with them altogether Do less business with them yourself 4 people 3 people

Likelihood of Buying Again from Business where there was Reason to Complain (Base: All those who had reason to make a complaint but didn't in the past 12 months - 125) Likelihood to Buy Again Benchmark 2007 No Yes (29%) (7%) I don’t have a choice Wave 1 2008 (-%) Don’t * know * N. B: Don’t know option not given in previous wave. ( ) = Wave 2 2008 52% Yes 27% No 16% I don’t have a choice Making Complaints (64%) 59% Yes 29% No 12% I don’t have a choice 19