Everyone deserves access to latest innovations. No matter what.

We represent forward-thinking consumers, raise new ones and advocate for policies and solutions that bridge the technology and innovation gap between the CEE region and its Western counterparts.

Our mission is to ensure that everyone has access to a full range of innovative solutions as well as a vibrant well-functioning Single Market that is competitive, fair and transparent. Missing the wave of entrepreneurial, technological, social and digital revolution that Industry 4.0 represents would have dire consequences for our economy and people. Furthermore, consumers now, more than ever, demand that these advancements are sustainable in nature and respect the commitment towards net zero.

The disruptive pace of innovation makes many consumers worried about falling behind on their technological knowledge. It is easy to misuse this fear of the unknown to scaremonger, spread disinformation, overregulate or stymie progress.

Empowering consumers is the best way to inspire confidence and leave no one behind. In achieving this, we follow our three pillars:

1
Education:

Consumers can reap the benefits of the new golden age of innovation, make informed decisions, and improve the quality of their lives only if they have enough objective information and understand their rights.

2
PARTNERSHIPS:

EU institutions as well as national, regional and local governments and authorities can make the right decisions for all citizens only if the law-making process considers the consumers’ interests. Moreover, we are also teaming up with like-minded organisations that provide us with valuable insight and strengthen our impact.

3
Analytical approach:

Allows us to understand and interpret the nature of complex situations and create rapid and informative solutions guaranteeing success. We believe that it is precisely the facts-based no-nonsense policy-making direction that enables the whole innovation ecosystem to thrive.

OUR
BACKGROUND

Inspired by the work of other organisations across Europe, we founded the Smart Consumer Institute in 2018, acknowledging the remarkable influence of the next generation of technologies on reshaping the commercial, personal and professional lives of European consumers. We also identified the lack of a strong regional voice that would chip into turning as many people into smart consumers as possible and defend their interests, concerns, and opinions in the decision-making and legislative processes.

In our view, a smart consumer:

  • Utilises the benefits of innovative and sustainable technologies
  • Benefits from the rapidly developing business environment and the fruits it produces
  • Strives to see the legislative landscape that supports progress and fosters innovation
OUR
IMPACT

The myriad of technological changes has altered nearly every aspect of our lives and completely changed the way businesses operate. At Smart Consumer Institute, we believe that consumer associations and, more importantly, policy-makers must follow suit and change their modus operandi so they adapt to this new environment. Therefore, for several years, we have been bringing fresh ideas into raising smart consumers and defending their interests in the following ways:

Cooperation

We are constructing an international platform that will create networks of like-minded pro-innovation associations while being a strong advocate for smart consumers in the CEE region and beyond. We believe that organisations defending consumer rights need to adapt and cannot rely on the principles and strategies that are now out-of-date.

Evidence

To ensure that policies the EU institutions, national legislators and others enact are truly future-proof, we have been supporting evidence-based decision-making that reflects the needs of consumers and the digital & innovation environment at large. In cooperation with our partners, we have been working on consumer surveys, market analyses and digital campaigns that guide pragmatic policy-making focused on consumers and innovations.

Awareness

While leveraging traditional media channels, we are also amplifying our impact through modern communication means. Our Institute has got several successful examples of developing and executing social media campaigns that target Generation Z/Y and digital natives by utilising the latest online trends.