THE number of complaints about products and services in Scotland has risen over the last year, with people more likely than ever to take action against companies which let them down.
Nearly half of people in Scotland voiced their discontent by going to a supplier or third party in 2014, with the number of complaints recorded reaching 5.2 million.
This was more than double the amount of complaints made the year before, with around 1.8 million made in 2013.
Across the UK as a whole, the number of complaints has almost doubled compared to the year before, rising from 37.9 million in 2013 to 66 million in 2014.
In Scotland, retail was the most complained about sector in 2014, attracting around 1.2 million complaints, which was evenly split between online retailers and shops.
The energy sector was the second most complained about area, with 570,000 complaints, with the telecoms section coming third at 365,000 complaints, according to the figures released by the Ombudsman Services' annual Consumer Action Monitor.
However the report also showed that an additional 5.7 million problems in Scotland that were never acted upon, with customers choosing to suffer in silence.
Almost half of these complaints were left unaddressed due to the perception that complaining simply is not 'worth the hassle'.
Chief Ombudsman Lewis Shand Smith said: "With the number of complaints almost doubling in the last year it's clear to see that customers are less willing than ever to stand for poor service and poor quality.
"While it is encouraging to know that consumers are becoming more aware of their rights and more likely to take action, we're also seeing millions of problems that aren't taken up with suppliers.
"In 2015, as new legislation brings alternative dispute resolution services, such as ombudsmen, to more and more sectors, there will be more routes for customers to seek redress."
The increased in consumer activism was said to be fuelled by an increase in the use of technology, firstly from e-commerce removing human interaction from many purchases, making minor problems and issues more likely.
Secondly the use of social media giving customers the opportunity to complain more directly if they have a problem, with more than 20 million complaints made in the UK last year through social media like Facebook, Twitter and consumer forums.
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