Consumentenbond reports chatbots hinder access to human customer service

A study by the Consumentenbond involving over 10,000 panelists reveals that nearly 90 percent of consumers find chatbots make it more difficult to reach human employees. Many users reported that chatbots provide only repetitive, standard answers and often fail to understand specific inquiries. In several instances, seven out of ten panelists who used a chatbot received no answer at all and subsequently struggled to connect with a real person.

Director Sandra Molenaar stated that chatbots have become an obstacle to human contact, emphasizing that companies should always provide easy access to human staff via chat or telephone. The investigation also found that many companies, including large entities like Albert Heijn, Coolblue, and PostNL, fail to comply with 2022 regulations requiring visible email addresses and phone numbers on websites.

Furthermore, an assessment of 100 companies showed that 35% do not allow users to save chatbot conversations, making it difficult to reference advice or continue discussions later. In response to rising complaints regarding AI-driven chatbots, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) are collaborating on guidelines for the responsible use of chatbots, expected in autumn 2026.