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The Effect of Information Based Consumer Protection: Lessons from a Study of the Irish Online Market

A review of European soft law and hard law throws-up a number of types of European consumer; however there is no doubt that one type dominates: the well-informed, confident consumer. This article continues the work of examining the effect of information provision in providing consumer protection, drawing in particular on a study conducted by the authors into Irish consumers’ responses to information provision in the context of the online market as required by Directive 97/7 on the protection of consumers in respect of distance contracts. The study enables us to advance the debate regarding information provision in two respects. First, existing empirical data has become somewhat dated and furthermore, the data relates primarily to the provision of information regarding financial products, and in particular in relation to consumer credit. This looks at information provision in a broader context. Secondly, the study focuses specifically on Irish consumers. Previous work in this area has taken place in relatively developed consumer societies. For a range of reasons, discussed further below, Irish consumer society may be characterised as underdeveloped. Therefore, the results of the study enable us to investigate the linkage between the effect of information based consumer protection and the stage of development of a particular consumer society.