Information and education of consumers (Estonian example): Information and education of consumers (Estonian example) 17th of May 2007, Belgrade
Kristina Vaksmaa
Consumer Protection Board of Estonia / European Consumer Centre of Estonia
Legislative basis for consumer information: Legislative basis for consumer information Consumer Protection Act of Estonia: § 3. Fundamental consumer rights: 3) obtain information on consumer law and other issues relating to consumption; 4) obtain advice and assistance if their rights are violated.
Statute of the Consumer Protection Board of Estonia:
§ 14 The board shall be entitled at performing its functions to
9) educate and advice consumers and distribute the information about consumer protection;
Consumer counselling and education – one of the main activities of the CPB, includes: : Consumer counselling and education – one of the main activities of the CPB, includes:
Information telephone for consumers
Information booklets and manuals
Information days and events
Home pages of the Board and the European Consumer Centre (working under the Board) - www.tka.riik.ee; www.consumer.ee; www.nupukas.ee
Information campaigns
Cooperation with the media
Annual survey on consumer awareness
Consumer education projects (including participation in the EU projects)
Information telephone: Information telephone Free telephone service since 1996.
Used by consumers and also by traders.
Number of calls, requesting information, instead of making a complaint, has increased considerably.
Additionally to the information telephone consumer can ask advice via e-mail or regular mail and have a face-to-face counselling in all Board’s county offices all over the Estonia.
Information booklets and manuals: Information booklets and manuals Booklets are mostly about how to buy goods or services: - how to buy clothes and other textiles, - how to buy goods via distance selling, - safety of toys, - air passenger´s rights, - how to complain, etc.
Distribution: in shops and supermarkets, in all county offices of the Board, in the reception of the Board, during events and seminars.
INFOTEEK – During 1998 – 2005 the Board published the self-information files, called TarKa, which consisted from different collections with overviews about different groups of good(s) or service(s) from the consumers' point of views.
The files were distributed through libraries, Boards county offices, etc and updated every year. The TarKa-project was delivered to Estonia within the common project with German colleagues.
Cooperation with the media : Cooperation with the media Regular press releases targeting both consumers and entrepreneurs (monthly statistics, topics referring to current events, specific warnings)
Articles, published in different newspapers:
“There is a necessity to limit lending, but how?”
“Euro currency will put the traders to a test” “Compare prices before exchanging the currency!” “Consumer rights in purchasing goods and services in the EU”
“ADR conciliates a trader and consumer”
Cooperation with the media II: Cooperation with the media II Cooperation with concrete newspapers, such as “KASU” (a consumers orientated weekly newsletter, which is published within the biggest daily newspaper “Postimees”). Articles published in cooperation with newspaper and the Board:
“ Consumer rights in case on doorstep selling” “ Be careful by using the services of the witch-doctors” “ Consumer rights in case the events like concerts will be cancelled”
Press conferences
Cooperation with one-line media (online interviews, etc)
Information days and events : Information days and events
International consumer´s rights day on the 15th of March (press conference, public seminar, “open doors day”, competition for pupils, etc)
Europe Day event on the 9th of May (the open-air festivities in several Estonian towns)
Seminars aimed to the introduction of new legislative acts, etc.
Home pages I: Home pages I Main home page of the Board www.tka.riik.ee
Convenient and easy way to obtain necessary information – updated regularly
Home pages II: Home pages II Home page for young consumers www.nupukas.ee
Home pages III: Home pages III Home page of ECC Estonia – information about cross-border consumer issues www.consumer.ee
Campaigns: Campaigns Recent campaign within the Phare Twinning project – “Don’t buy a pig in a bag!”
to raise consumer awareness of their rights and responsibilities;
consumers should make more aware choices by paying more attention to the information in several consumer contracts before signing them.
Annual survey on consumer awareness since 1998 “Situation of consumer protection in Estonia" (Estonian Institute of Economic Research) : Annual survey on consumer awareness since 1998 “Situation of consumer protection in Estonia" (Estonian Institute of Economic Research) Main topics:
public awareness on consumer rights
consumer behaviour
influence of advertisements
violation of consumer rights in different sectors
main channels of information in consumer protection
According to the survey in 2007, altogether 80% of consumers are
aware of the Consumer Protection Act.
Consumer education: Consumer education Carried out since 1998
Activities in cooperation with educational sphere (schools and teachers, universities)
Lectures in schools by officials of the Board have been held about consumer protection and different consumer education matters.
National curriculum is full of different subjects and it is difficult to find “suitable place” for consumer education.
Domestic consumer education projects I: Domestic consumer education projects I “Lets manage…” – a consumer education oriented project for pupils . - The Board has for five years (2001-2006) organised a competition between schools and teams, called “Let’s manage…”. Pupils have to solve special tasks – organise a funny party or a pleasant hike in Estonian nature, fit up a cosy kitchen and cook a healthy supper, host their friends from abroad, at the same time introducing Estonia and our culture to them etc. - The aim of the competition is to teach pupils to manage in their home environment by using their fantasy and experiences. Pupils are given different tasks in order to solve effectively some everyday situations. Main subjects are environmental friendliness, health, economy (sustainability) and consumer protection.
Domestic consumer education projects II: Domestic consumer education projects II Educational board game “Wise Consumer”, targeted to pupils
- the purpose of the came is to raise the awareness about consumer rights among Estonian youth.
- the themes of the game are sustainable consumption, consumer and environment protection, etc.
distributed to every primary and secondary school (including grades 1st.-12th), youth centres, orphanages etc. in Estonia.
Domestic consumer education projects III: Domestic consumer education projects III In 2006 CPB organized a competition for schools – “Healthy food for all schools”.
- The purpose of the competition was to raise the awareness about healthy nutrition and healthy lifestyle among young people.
- In order to compete on the competition, pupils had to make a healthy and interesting school lunch menu for the duration of one week.
- Altogether 29 teams competed in the competition. Another competition about the same theme will be organized in autumn 2007.
Promotion of education projects : Promotion of education projects Nupukas (“Clever/ Long headed”) – www.nupukas.ee - internet platform both for pupils and teachers, created in 2006 by the CPB of Estonia, within the Twinning project was promoted in several ways:
Internet advertisements in 7 different portals
Radio Advertising in 3 different radios
Advertisements in magazines for youth
Slide19: Rulers distributed in schools all over Estonia
Functional posters and postcards distributed to schools all over Estonia
International consumer educational projects : International consumer educational projects European Diary (including seminars for teacher in order to promote and introduce the Diary)
CCN (Consumer Citizenship Network)
Dolceta (Development of Online Consumer Education Tools for Adults)
Cooperation with NGO’s: Cooperation with NGO’s Common projects in the field on consumer information (distributing information materials on the Consumer Right’s Day, etc)
Common trainings (within the Twinning project)
Consumer Protection Council – the independent advisory body, consisting of representatives of the Consumer Protection Board, the Consumer Protection Union and other consumer associations. The council will be assembled by the Director of the CPB in case of need. Council has discussed and publicly spoken about:
- price increase in the field of energy - problems and price increase in the field on waste industry - etc.
Cooperation with other partners: Cooperation with other partners Information about consumer rights published in different editions: - Handbook for Citizen (2004/2006), published by Non-Estonians’ Integration Foundation, including different matters, as labour, social affairs, consumer protection etc.
- Online portals for citizens, for traders, etc
Thank You!: Thank You!