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European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)

Market studies

What's the objective of Market Studies?

Market Studies  provide answers to various issues regarding market functioning from a consumer's perspective. Studies include aspects such as data gathering, information, market intelligence as well as in-depth analysis of specific consumer markets. They contribute to developing the understanding of consumers' conditions and provide an evidence base for possible policy recommendations.

Market studies are also carried out on 'horizontal' issues such as e-commerce, labelling, information provision, consumer vulnerability, etc.

'Consumer market studies' do not necessarily refer to a 'market' in the economic sense. Such studies have been carried out, for instance, in the retail electricity market, the e-commerce of goods and the switching bank accounts market.

What's the Consumer Scoreboard?

Many studies make use of the Consumer Scoreboard a tool that provides evidence and helps to identify what areas of the market do not function well for consumers, what are the reasons behind malfunctioning and what policy initiatives can be taken to improve the situation.

Behavioural Studies

What's the objective of Behavioural Studies?

This type of studies pre-test the response of target groups (e.g. consumers, patients) to different policy and regulatory initiatives.

In practice, Behavioural StudiesSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN••• scrutinise different factors that affect consumers’ behaviour and decision-making:

  • The in-depth analysis of consumers’ behaviour encompasses:
  • Preparatory review of the behavioural economics literature;
  • Data gathering on consumers’ self-reported preferences;
  • Scrutiny of commercial practices employed by the economic operators and existing policy remedies;
  • Collection of first-hand information through a behavioural laboratory, online and/or field experiments, including input from surveys, focus groups and/or interviews;
  • Analysis of the obtained results and formulation of policy recommendations.