Computer Science Meets Consumer Science:
Consumer Informatics (Verbraucherinformatik) is a branch of consumer science closely related to information systems. It focuses on the increasing digitalization of consumption fields and its impact on consumer practices. By examining the wishes and behavioral strategies of consumers, researchers aim to provide recommendations for the design of products and services, with a particular focus on the perspective of private households.
The main objectives of consumer informatics include promoting consumer and data protection, enhancing the confident use of digital products and services, and encouraging sustainability through better consumer information. These cross-cutting topics are integral to all research areas within consumer informatics. Key fields of research include mobility approaches and multimodal transport concepts, digital trends in nutrition and health, smart home and household digitalization, and consumer provision and financial management.
Additionally, the latest research projects emphasize shopping and procurement. Consumer informatics combines technical approaches from computer science, such as consumer analytics and information systems, with theories and concepts from consumer science, like practical theories and digital market mechanisms.
