The battle of the kickbacks
The Norwegian fund market was rocked to its foundations when Sbanken, an internet retail bank, announced that it would return all retrocessions (kickbacks) to its customers.
Let´s call a spade a spade: abuse of power in the digital economy must end
The era of tech-optimism is over, replaced by a crisis of trust. While there are strong rules in Europe which could help consumers to regain trust, their enforcement is sadly lacking.
Is it safe to buy products online from the other side of the world?
Consumers now buy things from anywhere in the world in a few clicks. But consumer groups' research shows the safety of these products is not always guaranteed. Online shops are urged to act responsibly and authorities should work together across...
Thanks to the EU, we’re moving closer to a repair society
Broken washing machines, computers or tumble dryers are creating mountains of heavy household equipment waste. And to replace these broken items, we buy new products, creating a vicious cycle of more expenditure and more waste. To manufacture them, limited resources...
How EU-funded research can deliver to consumers
Between 2021 and 2027, the EU Horizon Europe programme is planning to spend around a whopping 100 billion euros on research projects. No surprise therefore that academics, industry representatives and others will flood Brussels this week to attend the huge...
Want to go green while on holiday? Here are 5 reasons to stay in a sustainable hotel
Now that summertime is officially here, you might be in a holiday mood. But not a day goes by without the environmental crisis making the headlines, and tourism is known to add fuel to the fire, putting pressure on scarce...
Time’s up for harmful flame retardants in TV screens
Did you know that your furniture, clothes and electronic devices can contain harmful chemicals? The most common ones are halogenated flame retardants. The good news is that plastic in TV screens will be free of them thanks to new Ecodesign...
Taking on the bank – Lessons from using, not abusing, our group action system.
After four years, countless hours and 1.42 million euros spent, we won the biggest group action suit in the history of our country against Norway’s biggest bank. The cheers were many, but so were the lessons. Background In 2015, The...
3 conditions to make charging an electric car convenient
Electric cars must be easy to charge, if they are to move away from the sidelines and into the mainstream.
To truly debate Europe’s value, focus on what it has done, does and should do for people
We are a mere 3 weeks from European Parliament elections. And times are intense. Media coverage is filled with debates about Brexit, the rise of populism and Euroscepticism. It is precisely about that I worry. There seems to be very...