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Influencer marketing is everywhere and unavoidable for anyone on social media due to the high volume of content and boundless creativity of social media influencers. Between March and September 2025, 14 BEUC consumer organisations from 12 countries monitored about 650 posts and videos of social media influencers on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Although influencer marketing is present in nearly all sectors, this evidence-gathering focused on posts and videos promoting unhealthy food advertising and fast fashion as they are sectors where consumers are likely to be particularly at risks. Evidence confirms the widespread use of hidden advertising practices and how influencers appeal to emotions to shape consumers’ preferences. It also shows how brands use influencer marketing to give a positive spin to their reputation in the eyes of consumers, in particular the youngest ones.
As we identified in 2023, current EU law is only partially able to tackle the problems posed by influencer marketing and needs to be updated.1 It must clarify the responsibilities of the different actors operating in the influencer marketing environment - from influencers and their agencies to brands and online platforms. This report provides additional evidence supporting ongoing policy discussions at EU and national level. This is particularly the case for the EU Digital Fairness Act and the evaluation of the Audiovisual Services Media Directive, both expected in 2026.
Although influencer marketing is present in nearly all sectors, this evidence-gathering focused on posts and videos promoting unhealthy food advertising and fast fashion as they are sectors where consumers are likely to be particularly at risks. Evidence confirms the widespread use of hidden advertising practices and how influencers appeal to emotions to shape consumers’ preferences. It also shows how brands use influencer marketing to give a positive spin to their reputation in the eyes of consumers, in particular the youngest ones.
As we identified in 2023, current EU law is only partially able to tackle the problems posed by influencer marketing and needs to be updated.1 It must clarify the responsibilities of the different actors operating in the influencer marketing environment - from influencers and their agencies to brands and online platforms. This report provides additional evidence supporting ongoing policy discussions at EU and national level. This is particularly the case for the EU Digital Fairness Act and the evaluation of the Audiovisual Services Media Directive, both expected in 2026.
Reports
Available in
English
Over the past couple of decades, Big Tech companies have increasingly limited competition in digital markets at the expense of consumers, restricting choice and access to innovation. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is an attempt to make digital markets fairer and more open to challenger companies.
Is the Digital Markets Act effective? In July 2025, the European Commission opened a consultation to gather feedback on the impact and effectiveness of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and its ability to face emerging challenges such as new technologies. Our review shared with the Commission and summarized in our new report offers a snapshot of how the Digital Markets Act (DMA) is performing eighteen months in.
So, what are the benefits of the DMA for consumers? Our new report shows the first concrete benefits the DMA has delivered for consumers eighteen months into its application, which include:
1) A choice screen to select your preferred default browser on iOS devices.
2) Choice over the app you want to use by default on iOS devices across a wide variety of categories.
3) The ability to make contactless payments on iPhones without going through Apple Pay.
4) The ability to create a Google account without requiring a Gmail account.
The report also outlines the ongoing areas of suspected non-compliance under the DMA by gatekeepers that the European Commission must tackle, how BEUC is pushing for effective compliance by the gatekeepers, and an assessment of how to take the DMA's enforcement to the next level and boost the benefits for consumers.
Is the Digital Markets Act effective? In July 2025, the European Commission opened a consultation to gather feedback on the impact and effectiveness of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and its ability to face emerging challenges such as new technologies. Our review shared with the Commission and summarized in our new report offers a snapshot of how the Digital Markets Act (DMA) is performing eighteen months in.
So, what are the benefits of the DMA for consumers? Our new report shows the first concrete benefits the DMA has delivered for consumers eighteen months into its application, which include:
1) A choice screen to select your preferred default browser on iOS devices.
2) Choice over the app you want to use by default on iOS devices across a wide variety of categories.
3) The ability to make contactless payments on iPhones without going through Apple Pay.
4) The ability to create a Google account without requiring a Gmail account.
The report also outlines the ongoing areas of suspected non-compliance under the DMA by gatekeepers that the European Commission must tackle, how BEUC is pushing for effective compliance by the gatekeepers, and an assessment of how to take the DMA's enforcement to the next level and boost the benefits for consumers.
Reports
Available in
English
How greenwashing, poor-quality products and bad advice are stopping consumers from investing sustainably.
Findings from an 11-country consumer survey on sustainable finance.
Findings from an 11-country consumer survey on sustainable finance.
Reports
Available in
English
People care about the impact of what they buy. But how easy is it to find sustainable products across Europe? We ran a mystery shopping exercise in 13 countries to find out.