This paper provides an overview of the ways in which demand-side problems can lead to poor consumer outcomes in markets, discusses the types of remedies that have been put in place to address these issues and presents some preliminary views on their effectiveness. It also highlights that the careful design of remedies is integral to their effectiveness and that consumer-focussed testing offers a valuable means of learning which remedy is likely to work. It was prepared as a background note for a discussion held at the OECD in June 2018 on Designing and Testing Effective Consumer-facing Remedies.
