Consumer Affairs

Consumer affairs are a concern in many areas of public administration. The traditional definition of a consumer is an individual who purchases goods or services, with the purchase not comprising part of a commercial activity, from a seller who sells the goods or services on a commercial basis. Consumer affairs include all issues which are covered by this definition and, as a result, they are part of the tasks of all state agencies directly or indirectly responsible for public supervision of business and commercial activities.

The Consumer Agency

One institution within public administration in Iceland, the Consumer Agency, focuses directly on consumers' interests. The Consumer Agency is responsible for public supervison of consumer-related legislation, product safety and metrology. Various other state agencies are directly or indirectly involved in supervising consumer-related matters, including the Financial Supervisory Authority (FME), the Post and Telecom Administration and the Iceland Transport Authority (e.g. concerning the rights of airline passengers). Other general supervisory agencies, such as the Iceland Medicines Agency, the Food and Veterinary Authority and the Environment Agency, supervise consumer products.