Compared to previous years, a problematic area in 2012 proved to be the purchase of non-pharmaceutical medical products, therapeutic appliances and equipment. This reflects a growing tendency to sell such products online often with misleading or unfounded health claims, with slimming pills being a prime example. In
2012 more than half of the complaints requiring an intervention by the ECC towards the trader, were resolved on amicable terms 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. ADR bodies conducting Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures, enforcement authorities or courts). For simple complaints the ECCs provided advice to consumers on how to claim their rights on their own.
The Annual Report also gives an overview of the activities of the ECC-Network in 2012 and highlights some of its success stories.
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