ANNUAL REPORT 2014A REALLY GOOD YEAR

A REALLY GOOD YEAR

Table of contentsSmiley face .................................... 5

What’s new? ................................. 6

Our members ............................... 8

Our assistance ............................ 10

Our information ......................... 12

Our presence in the media ....... 16

Our team ..................................... 20

Our accounts .............................. 22

Four decades ago, in OCU we committed ourselves to defend it vigorously. And since then, true to our purpose, we have published accurate, objective and independent information for consumers.

Why do we place so much importance in this? Because an uninformed or misinformed consumer is lost in a world overflowing with products and services, in which thousands of companies, businesses and professionals are vying for our attention. We help you to make up your own mind, keeping you away from biased messages. Each person can choose whatever they want, but based on quality information.

It sounds simple, right? Well it is not easy to put into practice. Accurate information is sometimes annoying. Especially when it contradicts advertising and endangers the huge sums invested by some to embellish reality and make sure that they are always viewed favourably.

Calling a spade a spade is not always well received. Our comparative analyses, which are so appreciated by consumers and lie at the heart of our work, bother some people, including the food industry, many of whom would like to see us silenced or forced to provide information the way they want. But OCU wants to inform people in our own way. That is, without being muzzled.

Our analyses are not designed to upset people. The industry should take them as constructive criticism, as suggestions to improve what they offer us.

Whatever the case, in 2014 the fight to report freely was fiercer than ever, due to attempts to impose conditions on our comparative analyses. But the blows we receive from time to time have not made us give up.

And all thanks to the tenacious support of our members, the only people who can ask us for explanations. He who laughs last, laughs longest.

Carlos Sánchez-Reyes de PalacioOCU President

SMILEY FACE

The right to information is one of

the fundamental rights of consumers, not the

only one, but one of the most important.

IN 2014 THE OCU OFFER GREW FOR US

01

6 | 7 OCU Annual Report 2014 | What’s

WHAT’SNEW?

To be fit, to have a healthy economy, to be able to express your opinion... These desires are always in vogue and OCU helps them come true by expanding our range of information and services and updating the tools in order to achieve this. The world is changing rapidly and we are changing with it.

MOOVERANGWould you like to manage your personal finances quickly and accurately, to be able to have all your expenses and income under control without spending hours doing the figures in an Excel spreadsheet? This is what mooverang is for, the application we launched in 2014 and is the very best way to have a happy relationship with money.

COLLECTIVE PURCHASESThe first collective energy purchase we organised caused a stir and the second, launched last year, has not fallen short. We also organised the first collective purchase of telephone services: I want to pay less for my mobile. Between them, an army of nearly 200,000 consumers was brought together.

OCU PLUSOur members can find out what the best products are and where to buy them at the lowest price. The OCU Plus programme gilds the lily and allows them, moreover, to recover some of the money spent on online purchases in all areas: technology, travel, fashion ... The refunds can be very juicy and are not made in vouchers, but in hard cash.

BLOGSOur information is not closed. It is open and open to debate. The readers of the blogs we started last year let us know what they think on a daily basis: OCU Consumity, which features real-time information about what’s happening in the consumer world, and I Want To Pay Less For Electricity, which gives explicit information about everything concerning energy, its price and what we can do to pay less.

OCU HEALTHIt is our most recent magazine and it gets better as the years pass. In 2014 it underwent a redesign from top to bottom to make it more understan-dable, more in-depth, more attractive and closer to the interests of its readers. A health magazine in good shape.

Andalucía 33.124Almería 2.416 / Cádiz 4.651 / Córdoba 2.753Granada 3.982 / Huelva 1.793 / Jaén 2.293Málaga 6.798 / Sevilla 8.438

País Vasco 16.420Álava 2.397 / Guipúzcoa 4.353

Vizcaya 9.670

Cataluña 46.786Barcelona 36.771 / Gerona 3.482 Lérida 2.091 / Tarragona 4.442

Aragón 10.077Huesca 1.628 / Teruel 875

Zaragoza 7.574

Ceuta 206

Melilla 222

Abroad 211

Extremadura 4.897Badajoz 2.835Cáceres 2.062

Canarias 7.749Las Palmas 4.301Santa Cruz de Tenerife 3.448

Asturias 6.962

Baleares 4.793

Cantabria 3.853

Galicia 16.113La Coruña 7.237 / Lugo 1.767 Orense 1.486 / Pontevedra 5.623

Murcia 5.541

Com. Valenciana 24.517Alicante 8.614 / Castellón 2.571Valencia 13.332

Navarra 3.386

La Rioja 2.086

Madrid 85.541

Castilla y León 17.782Ávila 1.125 / Burgos 2.840León 3.244 / Palencia 1.172Salamanca 2.060 / Segovia 1.480Soria 705 / Valladolid 4.129Zamora 1.027

Castilla-La Mancha 1.769Albacete 1.679 / Ciudad Real 2.495

Cuenca 972 / Guadalajara 2.289 / Toledo 4.334

Total: 302.0358 | 9 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr members

02OUR

MEMBERS

When OCU achieves a victory, more than 300,000 people can take the credit. We are talking about our members, the engine of our activity. In exchange for their support, we prepare information and services for them that give them power and make their lives easier.

LEGAL ADVICE

More than 100 specialised lawyers offer their advice to members and they intervene to resolve consumer problems as well as in other areas (labour, tax, family ...). If necessary, they mediate between the member and the company which is the cause of the conflict, and may even assess the suitability of going to arbitration or seeking a judicial settlement.

MEMBER SUPPORT

This is the OCU Customer Service. It resolves everything relating to the subscription, the information supplied and the various services offered to members. In addition, it is a channel for suggestions and criticisms.

Total

545.571Total

608.022

423.090 telephone calls 122.481 written enquiries

468.881 telephone calls 139.141 written enquiries

10 | 11 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr assIstanCe

03OUR

ASSISTANCE

OCU members can use us to answer any questions or doubts they may have in their role as consumers. Many of the queries that they make are complaints caused by some shortcoming in the treatment they have received from shops, companies, service providers or even the public administration itself.

Complaints raised: 278.604

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 22.040

BEST BUYS 26.437

WATER, GAS AND ELECTRICITY 19.949

CONSUMER GOODS 23.155Food and Drink 806Electronic devices 3.349Fuels and lubricants for vehicles 2.858New and used cars 3.725Computer goods 2.322Furniture and household utensils 2.187Electrical appliances 3.619Clothing and footwear 1.184Other 3.105

EDUCATION 1.342

LEISURE 3.328Travel agencies 1.094Hotels and other accomodation 641Other 1.593

HEALTH 1.983

CONSUMER SERVICES 7.509Home repairs 2.500Legal and financial advice 1.882Repair shops and car parks 1.292Other 1.835

FINANCIAL SERVICES 47.849Mortgage loans 9.773Investments, pensions and securities 9.274Health and accident insurance 6.452Home and construction insurance 4.987Accounts and forms of payment 4.577Other 12.786

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND POSTAL SERVICES 36.111Mobile and satellite 16.208TV, telephone and internet packages 13.595Other 6.308

AIR TRANSPORT 3.475

NON AIR TRANSPORT 967

FAMILY AND INHERITANCE 7.058Gifts, inheritance and wills 3.643Separation and divorce 1.053Other family matters 2.362

TAXES 29.319

WORK AND SOCIAL SECURITY 17.730Contracts, hiring, cancellations 6.719Unemployment and dole 1.475Retirement 1.100Other 8.436

HOUSING 23.568Owning and leasing 15.539Residents’ associations 6.874Other 1.155

OTHER 6.784

12 | 13 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr InfOrmatIOn

OUR INFORMATION

04 The amount of goods and services on offer to the modern consumer is overwhelming. OCU analyses what is available in order to highlight the most interesting, the best, the best value. We sift through the internet, we visit shops, pay for expensive analyses in a network of specialised laboratories, use services incognito ... and present the results in our publications and on our website.

86 payment cards564 personal loans1.320 mortgage loans800 deposit accounts2.000 deposit accounts240 savings accounts157 insurance policies717 investment funds117 pension plans199 national and international shares170 intermediaries in the sale of shares600 neighbourhoods where to invest in housing600 neighbourhoods where to invest in garages

PRICES AND TARIFFS

BANKING AND INVESTMENT

PRODUCTS

135.000 prices in supermarkets1.750.000 prices in bricks and mortar stores4.562.500 prices in internet commerce8.300 tariffs for gas, electricity, telephone, transport...

3.200 products (technology, household appliances, cars...)706 food353 wines40 cosmetics

OUR PUBLICATIONS

Best Buy279,81811 issues a year

OCU Estates and Homes19.5006 issues per year

Money and Rights275.8336 issues per year

OCU Monthly Investor20.000 11 issues per year

OCU Health142.6666 issues per year

OCU Weekly Investor4.70048 issues a year

Tax Guide280.0001 issue per year

Regional Tax Guide20.0001 issue per year

OCU Investors-Shares Suppl.650 ejemplares48 issues a year

Wine Guide23.000 1 issue per year

OTHER

30 SURVEYS with 73.309 participants4.200 TV ADS

Our reputation

measured by Klout

Facebook friends Pinterest fansTwitterfollowers

daily visits to www.ocu.org

75 of 100

14 | 15 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr InfOrmatIOn

A consumer may need us at any moment. Therefore, members have full access to all the contents of ocu.org. For buying, browsing, getting information, making a complaint... The possibilities are many and they are increasing thanks to our applications.

1. Compare and choose your mobile phone2. Compare anti-wrinkle creams3. Body mass index calculator4. Gas and electricity: your cheapest tariff5. Compare and choose your washing machine6. Compare and choose your TV7. Domestic help: what you need to know8. The best anti-wrinkle cream9. Compare and choose your vacuum cleaner10. Compare and choose your refrigerator11. Model of a housing rental contract

12. Compare and choose your child car seat13. Calendar for fruit and vegetables14. Mattresses: which should I buy?15. Flu: what to take and what not to take16. Compare and choose your tablet17. Compare and choose your dishwasher18. Balanced Mediterranean diet of 1,500 calories daily19. Find the cheapest supermarket20. Take advantage of OCU Plus

1. Milk2. Cooking oil3. Mobile phones4. Mattresses5. Antivirus6. Nappies7. Detergents8. Washing machines9. Slimming10. Tyres

WhatbuyTo know instantly what is the best buy in technology products and where to buy the cheapest.23,000 downloads

ProtestappTo report abuse or mistreatment by shops, companies and service providers and receive emergency advice.130.000 downloads

mooverangTo manage personal finances without effort and see beyond making ends meet.23.000 downloads

THE 20 MOST VISITED PAGES

THE 10 MOST SEARCHED TERMSMOBILE APPLICATIONS

16 | 17 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr PresenCe In the medIa

OUR PRESENCE IN THE MEDIA

05 The goal is to improve the lives of consumers and their rights. And to achieve this we need our work and our demands to have maximum impact. The media have picked up the gauntlet and mention us more and more.

MENTIONS IN THE MEDIAInternet ..................................................................................................... 15.738Newspapers ................................................................................................ 2.026Radio ............................................................................................................... 347Television ....................................................................................................... 147TOTAL........................................................................................................18.258

THE MOST MENTIONED SECTORSEnergy .......................................................................................................... 5.030Economy ...................................................................................................... 3.325Health .......................................................................................................... 2.470Technology .................................................................................................. 1.712Transport ..................................................................................................... 1.542Food ............................................................................................................. 1.206Purchase of goods and services ................................................................ 1.182Environment .................................................................................................. 466Housing .......................................................................................................... 203Money and Rights .......................................................................................... 187

GROWING RESONANCE Mentions in the media in the last 5 years

ECHOOO!!

ECHOOO!! ECHOOO!!

18 | 19 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr PresenCe In the medIa

JANUARYSalt in food ........................................................................... 89Collective Purchase of Energy ............................................ 80Analysis of traditional Three Kings cakes ........................ 76

FEBRUARYDisappearance of the quarterly electricity auction ...... 163The price of water ............................................................. 128Electricity prices go up, the Ministry explains why ......... 97

MARCHThe electrical utilities will give us money back ............. 673Don’t let them medicalise your life ................................. 253Vodafone buys ONO .......................................................... 106

APRILCollective Purchase of Mobile Phone Services ............... 340Urban transport study ...................................................... 144Electricity tariffs .................................................................. 83

MAYCollective Purchase of Mobile Phone Services ............... 483Survey of primary care and emergency services ........... 183Anti-wrinkle creams ......................................................... 166

JUNEStudy of whole milk .......................................................... 153Analysis of anti-wrinkle creams ...................................... 140Euro per prescription .......................................................... 89

JULYSurvey on cycling in cities ................................................ 376Petrol stations, cheap and expensive prices ................... 167Sales .................................................................................... 110

AUGUSTThe price of electricity continues to rise despite the new system ................................................................................ 314Fuel prices rise again in August ....................................... 155Telecommunications satisfaction survey ....................... 102

SEPTEMBERAnnual survey of supermarkets ...................................... 889Second Collective Energy Purchase ................................. 413End of surcharges for card payments ............................. 321

OCTOBERCollective Purchase of Energy .......................................... 718Kebabs ................................................................................ 262Closing the Castor oil rig .................................................. 147

NOVEMBERAnalysis of anti-wrinkle creams ...................................... 141We denounce three airlines and online travel agencies 129Collective Purchase of Energy .......................................... 127

DECEMBERStudy on Internet and mobile phone addiction ............. 320Christmas tips ................................................................... 225Survey on the rights of passengers ................................. 172

The news articles with the greatest impact show

the breadth of topics of interest to consumers.

1. Annual survey of supermarkets .........................................................1,078

2. 2nd Collective Energy Purchase ..........................................................1,022

3. 1st Collective Purchase of Mobile Phone Services ............................... 863

4. Energy companies have to reimburse money ..................................... 709

5. Analysis of anti-wrinkle creams ............................................................ 615

6. Survey on bike lanes ............................................................................... 436

7. Tap water .................................................................................................. 373

8. Don’t let them medicalise your life ....................................................... 346

9. Survey on addictions .............................................................................. 320

10. The price of electricity continues to rise despite the new system ... 310

THE THREE MOST POPULAR NEWS ITEMS BY MONTH

THE TOP TEN HOT TOPICS

Men Training Hours

Thecnical Training

Digital training and innovation WomenProfessionals Average Age

20 | 21 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr team

06OUR

TEAM

In OCU we have made an effort to focus the image we project so that our values are perceived clearly. This is not a cosmetic change, but a declaration of intent. OCU wants and needs its professionals to measure up to its corporate values and the Human Resources department helps them to do this.

OCU IS OUR BRANDA programme initiated in 2014 to internalise corporate values and keep to them faithfully. Change, modernise, adapt to new consumer demands, but without losing our essence or our personality.

ATTRACTING TALENTAn organisation with high aspirations and difficult challenges cannot grow without the participation of talented people who share our ideals. That is the idea behind recruitment and the internal dynamics inside OCU.

DIGITAL TRAININGOCU need to be fully integrated in the digital environment. The programme to equip our professionals with updated digital knowledge was reinforced in 2014, increasing both in number of hours and participants.

3.882.351,84€

28.920.121,21€

28.920.121,21€

3.882.351,84€ Revenue

Revenue

Costs

Costs

22 | 23 OCU Annual Report 2014 | OUr aCCOUnts

07OUR

ACCOUNTS

Our accounts are transparent and

accessible. The OCU accounts, audited and

in detail, are deposited each year in the Spanish

Agency of Consumer Affairs, Food Safety

and Nutrition. The OCU Ediciones accounts are in the Commercial Registry.

(*) Provisional accounts

pending approval by the

OCU General Assembly

REVENUE

Income from membership fees ................................................. 2.885.951,97€ Subsidies ............................................................................................ 11.620,00€Financial income ................................................................................... 730,68€ Other income .................................................................................... 36.253,03€ Variations ........................................................................................ 947.796,16€

TOTAL ............................................................................................ 3.882.351,84€

COSTS

Staff costs ........................................................................................ 832.405,12€ Other operating expenses .................................................................. 2.199,42€ Professional services and legal advice ...................................... 1.912.960,74€ Financial expenses ............................................................................. 6.130,82€ Amortization and other adjustments .............................................. 1.244,18€ Results for the year ..................................................................... 1.127.411,56€

TOTAL ............................................................................................ 3.882.351,84€

REVENUE

Income from members ............................................................. 25.393.106,02€ Subsidies ........................................................................................... 70.745,62€ Other income .............................................................................. 1.852.692,72€ Financial income ........................................................................ 1.603.309,61€ Variations .............................................................................................. 267,24€

TOTAL ......................................................................................... 28.920.121,21€

COSTS

Staff costs .................................................................................... 7.214.287,80€ Magazine production .................................................................. 5.338.422,02€ Analysis and study costs ............................................................ 1.009.353,22€ Promotion, membership and other running costs ................ 11.997.154,82€ Other operating expenses ............................................................... 84.828,53€ Financial expenses ............................................................................ 9.996,26€ Amortization and adjustments .................................................... 868.706,47€ Profit for the year ........................................................................ 2.397.372,09€ TOTAL ......................................................................................... 28.920.121,21€

OCU(*) OCU Ediciones(*)

A REALLY GOOD YEAR

C/Albarracín, 2128037 Madridwww.ocu.org