Consumers International

What Consumers International does

Consumers International, founded in 1960 and headquartered at 70 White Lion Street, London, is a registered charity (No. 1122155) and not-for-profit company limited by guarantee (No. 04337865) operating as the global membership organisation for consumer groups. It serves 200+ member organisations across 100+ countries, providing coordinated advocacy, capacity building, and a unified voice for consumer rights in international policy forums such as UNCTAD, OECD, WHO, WTO, and UNEP. Its programme portfolio is organised around six thematic pillars — Digital Rights, Sustainable Consumption, Clean Energy Futures, Good Food For All, Fair Finance, and Consumer Policy and Standards — and includes flagship initiatives such as the Fair Digital Finance Accelerator (launched 2022, now spanning 70+ consumer organisations across 53 countries), World Consumer Rights Day (annual 15 March campaign), the Digital Index policy database, the Digital Finance Index annual assessment, the Next Generation Leaders Network, the Global Experts Community, the Anne Fransen Fund, the Consumer Coalition to Stop Scams, and the Purchasing Powers documentary series produced with BBC StoryWorks.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues and project-based grants from institutional funders. Member organisations apply and pay to join the network, gaining access to resources, training, peer learning, and advocacy platforms. Revenue is supplemented by grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (primary funder of the Fair Digital Finance Accelerator since 2022), the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth (digital finance and inclusive growth initiatives), and the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (Digital Index database). Distribution is direct: applications for membership are reviewed by leadership, programmes are run in-house, and the organisation engages international institutions through long-standing institutional relationships rather than third-party channels. The technology stack is non-commercial; core work consists of research, policy advocacy, capacity-building programmes, grant administration, and convening events such as the Global Congress and the Sustainable Lifestyles Summit, supported by a website (consumersinternational.org), active social channels, and email newsletters. Strategic priorities in 2024-2025 have been AI governance (Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers campaign), clean energy transitions (UNEP MoU; Impact Initiative recognised by the IEA), and digital finance protection (Mastercard partnership), with policy wins including the 2025 UN Principles on Consumer Product Safety and a UN draft resolution on product safety advancing to the General Assembly.

Name

Consumers International

Legal name

Consumers International

Website

https://consumersinternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Consumers International is the global membership organisation for consumer groups, coordinating 200+ member organisations across 100+ countries to advance consumer rights through advocacy, research, and capacity building on digital finance, AI governance, sustainable consumption, and product safety.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Advocacy Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Protection & Product Safety Regulators (BPAIAOAE)

Keywords

• Consumer advocacy
• Consumer rights
• Membership organization
• Policy advocacy
• Consumer protection

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues and fees: Revenue is generated through membership fees from consumer organizations joining the network. Organizations pay to become members and gain access to resources, training, advocacy support, and the global network.
2. Grants and funding partnerships: The organization receives grants from institutional funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the Fair Digital Finance Accelerator, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth for digital finance initiatives. These grants support specific programs and capacity-building activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Consumers International is a global membership organization for consumer groups, coordinating 200+ member organizations across 100+ countries. It delivers consumer rights advocacy, policy engagement with international bodies (UNCTAD, OECD, WHO), capacity-building programs (notably the Fair Digital Finance Accelerator), research products (Digital Finance Index, Digital Index), and coordinated global campaigns such as World Consumer Rights Day.

Product overview

Consumers International is a membership organisation for consumer groups worldwide, offering a portfolio of advocacy programmes, research products, and networking initiatives rather than a single unified product. The core offerings include the Fair Digital Finance Accelerator (a training and grants programme for consumer organisations on digital finance protection), World Consumer Rights Day (annual global advocacy campaign), and the Digital Index (policy database). Supporting products include research reports (Digital Finance Index, Building Consumer Resilience Report), documentary series (Purchasing Powers), grant programmes (Anne Fransen Fund), and professional networks (Next Generation Leaders Network, Global Experts Community). The organisation also coordinates the Consumer Coalition to Stop Scams and publishes the Global Blueprint for Inclusive Energy Services. All offerings serve the mission of consumer protection and empowerment across digital rights, sustainable consumption, fair finance, and related policy areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fair Digital Finance Accelerator A global network of consumer organisations strengthening consumer protection in digital finance through training, grants, peer learning, and advocacy campaigns for consumer groups in low- and middle-income countries.
• World Consumer Rights Day Annual global day of action (March 15) uniting 200+ Members, international organisations, government, business and civil society to raise awareness on consumer rights themes.
• Digital Index A global searchable database of legislation and initiatives for digital consumer empowerment, searchable by country, region, or policy area.
• Purchasing Powers Documentary Series Documentary series produced with BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions exploring consumer-driven change around the world.
• Fair Digital Finance Accelerator Grants Programme Grant funding awarded to member consumer organisations for digital finance initiatives including consumer research, digital tools, outreach, policy advocacy, and complaint resolution systems.
• Anne Fransen Fund Fund supporting consumer-led projects with social impact including financial literacy and safe food practices.
• Global Blueprint for Inclusive Energy Services Report providing a practical framework for creating more inclusive, accessible, and trusted energy services; first edition focuses on the Italian marketplace with 10 actionable solutions for energy poverty.
• Consumer Coalition to Stop Scams Coalition of approximately 40 participants convening members, government, industry and international institutions to build response to scams through stronger platform accountability and collective evidence.
• Digital Finance Index Annual assessment of digital financial services in low- and middle-income countries, evaluating consumer experience across four pillars of financial consumer protection.
• Next Generation Leaders Network Network bringing together 30 young consumer advocates aged 18-30 representing members across 27 countries for leadership development and peer exchange.
• Global Experts Community Community connecting global consumer experts to share knowledge and expertise across consumer protection and empowerment domains.

Quantifiable outcome

• UNCTAD adopted first UN Principles on Consumer Product Safety in 2025, influenced by Consumers International advocacy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UN Environment Programme (UNEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025New Memorandum of Understanding signed to accelerate climate action and advance people's essential rights and needs in the context of sustainable consumption and clean energy transitions.
• Mastercard Center for Inclusive GrowthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaboration on 'Building the Consumer Voice for Digital Finance' initiative aimed at improving protection and empowerment for vulnerable consumers in the digital finance sector. The effort focuses on driving consumer protection frameworks with emphasis on underserved populations.
• UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration on consumer protection law and policy. Consumers International contributes to UNCTAD's Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy, helped develop UN Principles on Consumer Product Safety (2025), and contributes to UNCTAD's Handbook on Consumer Product Safety.
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on competition policy, digital markets, and consumer product safety discussions. Consumers International participates in OECD Global Forum on Consumer Policy and contributed to OECD Consumer Policy Ministerial outcomes.
• GSMAcoreTechnology or IntegrationGSMA provides expert advice as part of the Fair Digital Finance Accelerator Advisory Panel. Ashley Onyango, Head of Financial Inclusion and AgriTech at GSMA, sits on the advisory panel, contributing expertise on mobile money and digital financial inclusion.
• CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on research including 'The Role of Consumer Organisations to Support Consumers of Financial Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries' report drawing on experience of 42 Consumers International Members spanning 38 countries. CGAP experts serve on the Fair Digital Finance Advisory Panel.
• World Health Organization (WHO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngagement on food systems, nutrition, and consumer health issues. Consumer voices were raised at the World Health Assembly regarding food price shocks and front-of-pack labelling.
• World Trade Organization (WTO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngagement on trade policy and its impact on consumers, including discussions on rising tariffs and their impact on affordability.
• International Energy Agency (IEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognition of Consumers International's 'Impact Initiative: Amplifying Consumer Voices in the Clean Energy Transition' by the IEA's Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions' Blueprint for Action on Just and Inclusive Energy Transitions.
• BBC StoryWorks Commercial ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'Purchasing Powers' documentary series, which became BBC StoryWorks' most-watched series ever, reaching 2.2 million views.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL): International environmental advocacy organization using policy research and coalition-building. Comparable model of global advocacy, UN engagement, and policy-driven impact in the sustainable consumption space.
• Transparency International: Global civil-society coalition fighting corruption, structured as an international secretariat coordinating national chapters. Closely comparable membership/coalition model and global advocacy footprint.
• BEUC (European Consumer Organisation): Federation of 46 independent European consumer organisations; mirrors Consumers International's model at regional level, advocating for consumer rights and influencing EU policy on product safety, digital finance, and consumer protection.
• International Cooperative Alliance: Global federation of cooperative organisations representing members in 100+ countries. Directly comparable international membership-federation structure serving consumer/member interests worldwide.
• Access Now: Global digital rights organization advocating for consumer/user rights in technology. Directly comparable on digital rights, AI governance, and online consumer protection themes that Consumers International prioritises.
• Public Citizen: US-based public interest advocacy organization focused on consumer rights, regulation, and corporate accountability. Comparable advocacy-focused, non-membership-federation model with policy influence emphasis.
• Which?: UK consumer champion organization with similar advocacy, research, and member-supported model. Closest geographic peer to Consumers International's London base and shares focus areas in digital markets and consumer protection.
• Consumer Reports: US-based independent consumer advocacy and product-testing nonprofit. Operates similar advocacy, testing, and policy-influence functions and serves as the leading national analogue in the consumer advocacy space.

Others

• GSMA: Industry association representing mobile operators; partners with Consumers International on the Fair Digital Finance Accelerator advisory panel and shares mobile money / digital financial inclusion focus.

Broad incumbents

• Fairtrade International: Multi-stakeholder global body setting standards for ethical consumption and producer protection. Similar federation-of-national-organization structure and international standards-setting role.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Consumers_Int
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ConsumersIntl
• Facebookfacebook.com/consumersinternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/consumers-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/consumers_int

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Consumers International