How can consumer rights education be effectively promoted in schools? To contribute to this debate, Cittadinanzattiva is implementing the Co.Re – Consumer Regeneration project, in collaboration with InfoCons and the Union of Working Consumers of Greece (EEKE), and co-funded by the European Commission.

The EU Single Market still shows a significant imbalance in the relationship between consumers and businesses. Many consumers have limited awareness of their rights, complaint culture is not yet well established, and unfair commercial practices continue to spread both online and offline. Young people are among those most exposed to these practices, particularly in the digital environment.

As highlighted by the European Commission in the Study of consumer education initiatives in EU Member States (October 2023), structured and common educational pathways on consumer rights are currently lacking at EU level.

This calls for stronger discussion on the possible integration of consumer rights education into school curricula, through activities designed and delivered by experts, including trainers and representatives of consumer organisations.

Within this framework, Cittadinanzattiva has launched a pilot activity in Italy involving 16 schools and 667 students. Participants are engaged in a dedicated educational programme developed with expert trainers and shared with European stakeholders to gather feedback and insights.

The training pathway focuses on key topics such as consumer rights and responsibilities, safe purchasing, unfair commercial practices and available protection tools. The methodology is based on interactive workshops designed to encourage students to reflect on the role and responsibilities of consumers.

Each module includes home assignments to be carried out by students with the involvement of their families, extending the impact of the initiative beyond the classroom.

Teachers participating in the programme receive a teaching kit, together with dedicated training sessions delivered by Cittadinanzattiva tutors. Students taking part in the programme will contribute to the development of the Young Consumer Manifesto, the final output of the educational pathway, which will be disseminated in Italy and across Europe.

Although developed for the Italian context, each module includes a “Europe” section, allowing the kit to be adapted and potentially used in other European countries.

• The teaching kit is available here.
• For more information about the project, visit the project page here;
• Interested in the topic and willing to join the discussion network? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more and contribute to the Consumer Regeneration initiative.