France France fines Google €1.1 million over 'misleading' hotel rankings An investigation by the French consumer watchdog and finance ministry found the tech giant was guilty of "misleading commercial practice". 15/02/2021
Living The affordable French skincare rated crème de la crème in 2020 Cattier, l'Arbre Vert, la Roche Posay and others receive the highest rating on leading sustainability and health app Yuka. 08/01/2020
World US economic growth slower than forecast Inventory investments, exports and consumer spending were weaker than first reported. But the Commerce Department expects the months ahead to improve. 30/05/2018
world news Luxury European jewellers failing to ensure ethical supply chains Which European brands are the best and worst when it comes to ethical sourcing? 09/02/2018
View EU tackles Geo-blocking with half-measures: View The EU's new law banning geo-blocking for e-commerce is perhaps one of the most important steps towards a true single market for consumers, writes the European Consumer Organisation's Agustín Reyna. 09/02/2018
Business Eurozone consumer sentiment continues to improve Consumer confidence in the 19 countries that make up the eurozone rose in May to reach the best level since before the financial crisis. 19/05/2017
Business UK inflation at highest since 2013, wages not keeping up with prices Bad news for consumers as British Inflation hit its highest level in three and a half years in April with prices up by 2.7 percent from a year ago. 16/05/2017
Business France: weak GDP growth ahead of final election round With the final round of the French presidential election looming, the focus was on anaemic economic growth in the first three months of the year. 28/04/2017
Netherlands Some smart electricity meters 'give readings nearly 600 percent too high' Consumers across Europe could be paying over the odds for electricity, according to a Dutch study that reveals some electricity meters can give readings as much as 582 percent too… 14/03/2017
USA Starbucks' customer support 'wanes' after CEO's refugee hiring promise Customer support for Starbucks has waned in recent weeks as customers negatively react to the coffee giant's promise to hire thousands of refugees 10/03/2017
Business UK shopping slowdown signals weaker growth British Retail Consortium sees drop in non-food sales as Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development frets about Brexit uncertainty. 07/03/2017
Business French consumer confidence remains at near 10 year high French consumer confidence remained at its best level in more than nine years in February for the second month in a row. 24/02/2017
Business Brexit linked inflation deters Britons from spending As inflation picked up and prices rose after the Brexit vote British consumers cut back on spending in January. 17/02/2017
Business Uber and Tesla take different roads over immigration row Uber's Travis Kalanick has quit President Trump's business advisory group while Tesla's Elon Musk stays to raise objections for "the greater good". 03/02/2017
Business Eurozone retail sales post biggest growth in two years Monthly Eurostat figures showed consumers stocked up on non-food products, such as clothing and electrical goods. 05/12/2016
Business Euro zone consumer confidence rises in November Euro zone consumer confidence rose much more than expected by economists in November, according to the European Commission on Tuesday showed. 22/11/2016
Business UK consumers says 'Brexit vote - so what?' A new survey finds British consumers were at their most confident in five years in September, though not in London which mostly voted against Brexit. 17/10/2016
Business Bank of Japan changes stimulus policy, denies it's running out of options The Bank of Japan is changing tack as it tries to get the economy growing again with an increased emphasis on the amount of interest paid to investors who buy government bonds. 21/09/2016
Business German businesses concerned by global economic weakness German business morale fell in January to its lowest level since February 2015. The Ifo economic institute says its business climate index dipped 25/01/2016
Business Japanese consumers still not spending enough Consumer spending in Japan unexpectedly fell in July, threatening the country’s gradual recovery. The development puts more pressure on policymakers 28/08/2015
United Kingdom Manufacturing figures for the UK fall ahead of election Britain’s economic growth, at the heart of political campaigning for next weeks poll, has slowed in the manufacturing sector. That’s according to 01/05/2015
Venezuela Queues outside Venezuelan supermarkets amid shortages Restrictions on food shopping in Venezuela, with shortages reported across the country 17/01/2015
My Europe Series New EU food labelling rules EU moves to help consumers be sure about the food they buy come under scrutiny in this edition of Utalk. The question is from Ivan in Sofia 19/12/2014
My Europe Series Choose carefully - the safety and quality of toys and games Consumer rights relating to the safety and quality of toys is the subject of this Utalk. The question is from Paul in Marseille: “As Christmas 10/12/2014
My Europe Series Another option for European debt recovery Brussels has promised to raise awareness about the European Small Claims Procedure, a regulation that aims to make it easier for people to solve 12/11/2012
My Europe Series Package holiday? No, a dynamic package! When I started research into this episode of Right On the term “dynamic packaging” kept cropping up. Dynamic what? I realised very quickly that it 28/05/2012
