Why digital can’t replace cash
We live in a digital era where smartphones rule. These intelligent devices offer consumers instant and convenient access to information, services, shopping, banking and payments. So a logical question is to ask whether banknotes and coins still have a role...
Can consumers easily produce their own electricity?
For 80% of households in Europe, it would be cheaper to produce their own electricity than to purchase it from an electricity company. How? By installing solar panels. And just imagine how much cleaner the energy market would be if...
A trans fat-free future
You’ve probably heard of saturated fats in butter, omega 3 in fish, healthy fats in olive oil. But have you ever heard of trans fatty acids (TFAs)? Also called ‘trans fats’ [1], they can hide in processed foods such as...
Finance: when more education isn’t the answer
Most people struggle with the basics of retail finance. Apart from the number-crunching, it is an area packed full of jargon. Many financial products are constantly evolving and getting increasingly complex. This is hugely problematic. Decisions like taking a mortgage...
Fat is not fate: it’s time to act in Europe
Europe is getting fatter. One in two adults and one in three children are either obese or overweight. Having kilos to spare is one of the major risk factors for developing ‘lifestyle diseases’ such as heart disease, type II diabetes...
Since when is TTIP not a BIG deal?
From “most important leak ever” to “much ado about nothing”, the analyses from different commentators of yesterday’s TTIP revelations couldn’t be wider-ranging. In a blog post, Trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström tried to soft-pedal the importance of the leaks by saying...
Chaos and disorder in copyright law – happy #WorldIPDay!
Many of us are mourning the loss of Prince, one of the world’s great music talents. What most of us don’t know is that he was also a champion of copyright enforcement. On the 16th edition of World Intellectual Property...
Whipping up a transatlantic trade agreement? Shop wisely.
The EU and US negotiators of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) meet in New York this week for the 13th round of negotiations. In the media storm that accompanies TTIP it is not easy to keep a bird’s-eye...
Regulators and consumer organisations – less me and more we
Without rules, consumers are at the mercy of traders. The same applies if the rules aren’t enforced. European Commissioner Věra Jourová, in charge of justice and consumer affairs, wants to see a big change in this area calling for proper...
Energy Label – a compass that needs calibration
At a time when the EU is supposed to deal only with the ‘big’ things, I‘d like to talk about a small sticker. A sticker which has a significant impact though, both for consumers’ pockets and the climate. You find...