The report revealed that European Consumer Centres across the EU handled more than 72,000 enquiries from consumers during 2012. More than half of these contacts related to 32,000 complaints about a purchase made in another EU country, Norway or Iceland. Around 60% of complaints concerned e-commerce.

More than half of complex complaints were resolved amicably or passed on to other organisations: 45% of the complaints were successfully closed after the ECCs reached an amicable settlement with the trader and 13% were passed on to other organisations (e.g. Alternative Dispute Resolution entities, enforcement authorities or courts).