Consumer's position about new forms of employment in the sharing Economy, for the EESC-EU Public Hearing “The changing nature of employment relationships, the sharing economy, zero-hour contracts and the living wage”, 31th March 2016, Brussels.

1. CONSUMERS’
CHALLENGES IN THE
SHARING ECONOMY
EESC Public Hearing
“The changing nature of employment relationships,
the sharing economy, zero-hour contracts and the living wage”
31th March 2016, Amaya Apesteguía

2. 31th March 2016 01
DOUBLE CONSUMPTION RELATIONSHIP
IN THE SHARING ECONOMY
With the platform and with the other party (peer or business)

3. HIGH CONSUMER SATISFACTION: 8/10
Results from a survey to 8,670 consumers in Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain
*Source: “Collaboration or Business?” OCU (2016)
3%
24%
73%
Transport
2%
22%
76%
Accomodation
3%
26%
71%
Redistribution markets
4%
29%
67%
Collaborative lifestyles

4. MOTIVATIONS
Results from a survey to 8,670 consumers in Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain
*Source: “Collaboration or Business?” OCU (2016)
Main motivations:
1º) Save money
2º) Practical motivations (e.g. flexible hours, more comfort, better
suited to my needs…)
3) Foster economic relationships between private persons
4) To share travel experiences /to get to know people
5) To help other people with products I no longer need
6) To get rid of things I no longer need
7) To place less burden on the environment
8) To earn money

5. NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES
Results from a survey to 8,670 consumers in Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain
*Source: “Collaboration or Business?” OCU (2016)
Negative experiences:
Mainly small inconveniences (delays, plannification,
cleanliness, lack of personal connection, offer not
responding completely to the description on the website
Responses:
1º) to undertake no action (above 60%).
2º) try to come to an agreement (above 20%).
3º) Contacting the website to complain and writing a bad
reference in the web profile of the other party.
4º ) Contact consumer authorities to deal with the problem.
(less than 3%)
Need to improve effective
mechanisms for redress:
tracking of conflict resolution + Alternative Dispute
Resolution (ADR)

6. BIG QUESTIONS
FROM A CONSUMER
PERSPECTIVE:
1) CONSUMERIST:
Who is responsible
in case of conflict?
2) SOCIAL:
Do we risk to becoming
“exploiters” of other citizens?

7. 31th March 2016
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE IN CASE OF CONFLICT?
The other party
 If prosumer, civil legislation
 If business, consumer’s legislation
Legislators should define the parameters that distinguish a
private and a professional activity. Ideally, such a consensus
should work at European level.
The platform
 Just an intermediate, or intervenes in the provision of the
service?
 Just a marketplace, or is it an employer?
It is necessary to clarify platforms' roles and responsibilities:
users deserve to have clear legislation that specifies
responsibility when conflicts or problems occur.

8. 31th March 2016
DO WE RISK TO BECOMING “EXPLOITERS”
OF OTHER CITIZENS?
Maybe European citizens don’t need a lifetime employment, but they still need
incomes and social security: health, education, social protection…
Consumers want to save money, but not at any cost.
Race to the bottom
Vs
Crowd Social Responsibility
As prosumers and freelancers continue to generate micro-incomes in the sharing economy,
and as stable jobs are increasingly scarce, tax should be 'fair'.
In this sense, we suggest that taxes and social contributions should be calculated on
an individual basis, according to their real income earned.

9. THANK YOU!
Amaya Apesteguía
Ethical and Collaborative consumption
amayapes@ocu.org
www.ocu.org