Blurring Boundaries of Consumer Welfare

Abstract

The boundaries between the fields of competition, consumer and data protection law have become blurred in the digital economy. This is particularly the case for the rules governing practices of market players relating to the collection and use of personal data of individuals. In addition to possible competition issues, concerns are increasingly raised about the level of data and consumer protection offered by current market players. Ongoing policy and academic debates have started to consider the question of how these three legal fields interact. The chapter aims to shed light on this issue by comparing the relevant legal concepts as well as the available remedies in each of these areas of law and by outlining how synergies can be achieved with the objective of providing consumers in digital markets with a more integrated form of protection.