Local consumers have more choice and protection than in 2013, EU scoreboard suggests

Malta has ranked above the EU average on a goods and services consumer scoreboard, improving its 2013 ranking across the board.  While Malta ranked as one of the top three EU28 countries in 8 goods and 13 service markets, it is among the bottom three states when it comes to 'tram, bus, metro and underground services'.  The scoreboard surveys people who have recently bought goods or services to track the performance of over 40 consumer markets on key indicators such as their trust that the seller will respect consumer protection rules, comparability of offers, choices available in the market, the extent to which consumer expectations are met, and the harm caused by problems they encounter. In terms of goods, Malta's best-performing markets when compared to the EU average are for meat, fruits and vegetables and second-hand cars. Although the latter is still higher performing than the EU average, consumer trust, expectations and comparability have declined since 2013.  Most services markets perform above the EU28 average, with markets for mortgages and real estate services performing best when compared to other member states. The market for ‘Tram, local bus, metro, and underground...