What About Us? Consumer Response to the Digital Markets Act

In October 2025, the EPPP – European Public Policy Partnership, in cooperation with the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE), conducted the project What About Us? Consumer Response to the Digital Markets Act. The initiative examined how consumers in Central and Eastern Europe perceive the real-world impact of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), two years after its entry into force. The project aimed to assess whether the DMA has delivered on its core objectives of improving affordability, enhancing privacy, and making digital markets more open and contestable. It was based on a large-scale survey among 3,500 consumers across seven CEE countries, providing one of the first empirical insights into how users experience the regulation in practice. The findings indicate that the DMA has not achieved its intended impact. Most consumers report no tangible benefits, while key aspects such as user experience, affordability, and market contestability remain largely unchanged. The results highlight a disconnect between regulatory ambition and real-world outcomes, particularly in the context of everyday digital services. These insights formed the basis for EPPP and ECIPE’s engagement with the Brussels policy community and EU decision-makers. The project contributed to the ongoing debate on the future of EU digital regulation, emphasizing the need to better align policy objectives with consumer expectations and practical outcomes. As part of the project, EPPP and ECIPE also co-hosted an online policy webinar, bringing together experts from research, policy, and consumer organizations – including Erik Szedély representing EPPP – to discuss the study’s findings and the broader implications of the DMA for European consumers.

Full Study...
Webinar Recording...