Smart Consumer Institute is a member of Consumers International, the largest global consumer membership organization, representing over 200 members from over 100 countries for more than 60 years.

We analyse consumer issues

We focus on how decisions by policymakers, businesses, and markets affect the everyday lives of consumers. We analyse the issues people deal with daily – prices, housing, shopping, technology, and personal finance – in a factual and accessible way.

Our main areas of work include:

• Shopping, e-commerce, and retail – inflation, price developments, emerging trends, fraud, and consumer rights.
• Finance and housing – housing affordability, saving, investing, and navigating financial products.
• Taxes and public finances – how VAT, excise duties, subsidies, and fiscal consolidation measures affect prices and household budgets.
• Technology and the digital environment – artificial intelligence, new services, and how innovation and its regulation can genuinely benefit consumers.
• Surveys and analysis – monitoring consumer behaviour and market developments to work with data rather than impressions.

#ForAffordableHousing (#ZaDostupnéBývanie) Platform

Slovakia ranks among the countries with the lowest housing affordability in Europe. This is why we launched the #ZaDostupnéBývanie platform. Working together with influencers, YouTubers, and podcasters, we:

• Highlight the problem of housing affordability.
• Analyse the financial and real estate markets.
• Put forward recommendations for policymakers.
• Offer practical guidance on how to access better housing even in today’s challenging conditions.

Petition #ForFairTaxation (#ZaFérovéZdanenie)

From January 2025, a new tax on sweetened non-alcoholic beverages was introduced. Thanks in part to our efforts, its impact is at least somewhat less harmful.

After the draft was presented, we launched a petition that gained the support of more than 4,500 people, including many experts and influencers. We called for the exemption of plant-based milk alternatives, drinks and powders for athletes, as well as yoghurt and milk-based beverages. Following strong public pressure, the Ministry of Finance backed down and accepted our proposals.

We succeeded in protecting consumers from unfair taxation of beverages that are harmless or even beneficial to health.

Call #ForOpenSundays (#ZaOtvorenéNedele)

In 2022 and 2023, Parliament considered several proposals to restrict Sunday shopping. Such a ban would have far-reaching consequences for consumers, employees, and the economy as a whole.

Given its negative impact, we brought together 13 different think tanks, organisations, associations, and companies under the #ZaOtvorenéNedele initiative. In part due to this public pressure, MPs ultimately rejected the ban. We also engaged directly with the public, conducting video surveys with consumers and retail employees to capture their views on Sunday shopping and Sunday work.

We protect consumers from harmful legislation

In the media, online, on social networks, and directly within the legislative process, we provide constructive analyses, proposals, and comments that help create a modern, future-proof legislative environment that stimulates innovation and improves the quality of life for all consumers.

We closely monitor legislative processes and respond to measures that threaten the quality of the consumer environment. At the same time, we are not afraid to take the initiative ourselves and to comment on beneficial proposals in order to improve them further.

We fight disinformation

In collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, we worked on a project aimed at debunking the most common disinformation and hoaxes in various fields, whether in the consumer environment or politics. At the institute, we realize that our place is in Europe – it is the European standards and institutions that guarantee strong consumer rights protection for Slovaks. Slovakia’s anchorage in the West represents stability, making us attractive in the eyes of investors and contributing to the influx of foreign capital.