This paper takes stock of recent developments related to online consumer ratings and reviews and their effects on consumer behaviour. It provides an overview of key consumer benefits and risks associated with user-generated feedback, and identifies consumer policy challenges, including...

Advertising of procurement opportunities and contract award results is a foundation stone of public procurement. Full and open advertising facilitates appropriate competition, develops markets and helps in the battle against corruption. SIGMA Brief 6 provides the reader with guidance on where...

This paper aims to complement the OECD Recommendation of the Council on Consumer Protection in E-Commerce by elaborating on its key principles in the context of online advertising and offering practical guidance on how to apply these principles. For these purposes, the guide provides a number of...

This report quantifies the magnitude, value, scope and trends of global trade in counterfeit and pirated goods, also known as fakes. Using a unique enforcement dataset and tailored methodology, it estimates the overall scale of this threat and outlines which industries are particularly at risk....

The COVID-19 emergency will affect the lives of many people around the globe. There are a number of ways that policy makers, public authorities and financial services providers can safeguard the interest of financial consumers who may be experiencing financial difficulties and help them to...

Online personalised pricing is a form of price discrimination that involves charging different prices to different consumers, often based on a consumer’s personal data. Policymakers are currently discussing ways to protect consumers from potential adverse effects of personalised pricing. One...

Cross-border trade in parcels has played a critical role in helping people and firms deal with issues stemming from physical distancing and confinement measures implemented during COVID-19. This note discusses that role and the policies that can help ensure parcel trade can continue to be...

Developing growth strategies that promote greener lifestyles requires a good understanding of the factors that affect people’s behaviour towards the environment. Based on periodic surveys of more than 10 000 households, this publication presents responses from the most recent round of the OECD...

Personal behaviour and choices in daily life, from what we eat to how we get to work or heat our homes, have a significant – and growing – effect on the environment. But why are some households greener than others? And what factors motivate green household choices? Answering these questions...