Welcome to Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband

Zu sehen ist eine Reihe von Menschen unterschiedlichen Alters, diverser Geschlechter und verschiedener Herkunft. Sie haben sich gegenseitig die Arme auf die Schultern gelegt und lächeln sich an.

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About Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband

The voice of consumers

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17.12.2024Following BGH ruling on Facebook data leak: VZBV submits collective legal action

Collective legal action means that the participants’ claims do not expire at the end of the year

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Drei Personen umarnen sich. Eine schaut opimistisch in die Kamera. Eine Schrift mit einem Herz drumherum sagt: "Stärken, was alle stärkt"

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Recommendations for the 2025 German Federal Elections

On 23 February 2025, Germany will elect a new Federal parliament (Bundestag), and thus a new government. The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. – vzbv) and its members have specific policy recommendations to improve everyday consumer life. Consumer protection benefits everyone. It provides security and ensures that nobody is left behind. Consumer protection fosters societal cohesion and solidarity even in challenging times.

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Portrait von Jutta Gurkmann im Inneren des vzbv-Gebäudes

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23.10.2024Meta may only combine personal data from Facebook, Instagram and Co. with user's consent

Statement from vzbv Director of Consumer Policy Jutta Gurkmann on the conclusion of the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) proceeding, in which vzbv was involved.

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Frau schaut verwirrt auf einen Laptop und fasst sich an den Kopf

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07.08.2024Language, buttons, clicks: how TikTok, Meta, Amazon and Co. manipulate users

vzbv has carried out an evaluation and is of the opinion that gatekeepers such as TikTok, Amazon, and Meta fail to adequately fulfil their obligations under the Digital Markets Act

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You can See Ramona Pop. She ist walking along a dark wall with the words: Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband". It is the entrance to the vzbv building.

Credit: © Dominik Butzmann / vzbv

19.07.2024European Court of Justice: consumer organisations can take legal action in cases of GDPR violations

Statement from vzbv Executive Director Ramona Pop

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Zu sehen ist ein Portrait von Ramona Pop. Sie lehnt an einem Geländer. Im Hintergrund ist das Innere des vzbv-Gebäudes zu erkennen.

Credit: © Die Hoffotografen GmbH / Christine Blohmann / vzbv

18.07.2024“People’s everyday concerns must not be ignored”

Statement from vzbv Executive Director Ramona Pop on the election of the European Commission President.

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About the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv)

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv) is the strong voice of all consumers in Germany – independent of their origin or living conditions. vzbv is advocating for a just and sustainable society and economy, where policy-making focuses on people’s needs. vzbv works on five levels:

Representing consumers’ interests

vzbv provides position papers and expert reports to ensure consumers’ interests are taken into account in legislative processes and socio-political debates. In consultation with decision-makers, vzbv shines a light on consumer-related problems by drawing on the findings from its market monitoring. Its experts are happy to assist the media and policy-makers with their enquiries.

Promoting information and advice for consumers

In coordination with its members, vzbv helps to ensure that the quality of advice is consistent across Germany by offering a range of trainings for advisers. Working in tandem with consumer associations, it also creates uniform advice guidelines so that consumers in every federal state can always receive up-to-date, consistent advice.

Observing the markets

As part of its market monitoring, vzbv analyses conspicuous reports relating to consumer problems from the digital, energy and financial sectors. It carries out investigations and studies, uncovering current problems and structural market failures. If vzbv identifies anomalies or breaches, it reports them to the supervisory authorities, talks to traders and providers or takes legal action against them. In addition, vzbv warns consumers about problematic products and services.

Enforcing rights

Every year, vzbv launches around 300 legal proceedings to ensure that breaches of consumer rights are remedied or claims for damages are determined. Legal warnings and complaints are based on cases that are reported to vzbv directly, are revealed through investigations or are identified as part of vzbv’s market monitoring. All the cases pursued by vzbv and the consumer associations, along with many other pieces of case law relating to consumer protection, can be found in the case law database.

Improving consumer education

vzbv is committed to ensuring that children and young people learn how to deal with the sheer amount of consumer options in their day-to-day lives and how to protect themselves – and this should start when they are at school. With its service on verbraucherbildung.de, vzbv helps teachers and schools to anchor consumer education in everyday school life on a long-term basis.

Representing consumers’ interests

vzbv provides position papers and expert reports to ensure consumers’ interests are taken into account in legislative processes and socio-political debates. In consultation with decision-makers, vzbv shines a light on consumer-related problems by drawing on the findings from its market monitoring. Its experts are happy to assist the media and policy-makers with their enquiries.

Promoting information and advice for consumers

In coordination with its members, vzbv helps to ensure that the quality of advice is consistent across Germany by offering a range of trainings for advisers. Working in tandem with consumer associations, it also creates uniform advice guidelines so that consumers in every federal state can always receive up-to-date, consistent advice.

Observing the markets

As part of its market monitoring, vzbv analyses conspicuous reports relating to consumer problems from the digital, energy and financial sectors. It carries out investigations and studies, uncovering current problems and structural market failures. If vzbv identifies anomalies or breaches, it reports them to the supervisory authorities, talks to traders and providers or takes legal action against them. In addition, vzbv warns consumers about problematic products and services.

Enforcing rights

Every year, vzbv launches around 300 legal proceedings to ensure that breaches of consumer rights are remedied or claims for damages are determined. Legal warnings and complaints are based on cases that are reported to vzbv directly, are revealed through investigations or are identified as part of vzbv’s market monitoring. All the cases pursued by vzbv and the consumer associations, along with many other pieces of case law relating to consumer protection, can be found in the case law database.

Improving consumer education

vzbv is committed to ensuring that children and young people learn how to deal with the sheer amount of consumer options in their day-to-day lives and how to protect themselves – and this should start when they are at school. With its service on verbraucherbildung.de, vzbv helps teachers and schools to anchor consumer education in everyday school life on a long-term basis.

Focus on

Online Shopping mit Smartphone und Laptop

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Competition in digital markets

Big Tech companies control access to online platforms and digital ecosystems by impeding competitors and restricting consumers’ freedom of choice.

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Kuh auf der Weide

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Genetic engineering in agriculture

The majority of consumers do not want genetic engineering to play any part in food, in plant cultivation, or where livestock is kept.

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Auf Tomate klebt der Sticker "Carbon Neutral Product"

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Greenwashing

The lack of regulation in terms of sustainability and green claims opens the door for greenwashing. vzbv thus calls for stricter regulations for green claims.

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Laptop von der Seite, Hände auf der Tastatur über den Händen Symbole zum Thema Datenschutz

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IT security

Consumers’ data and IT systems are increasingly faced with online threats. Examples include identity and data theft or attempts of digital blackmailing.

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Product liability

vzbv calls for a fundamental reform of product liability law. To protect consumers, the provisions must be adapted to the requirements of the digital world.

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EU consumer policy

Learn more about consumer policy in the EU.

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This is how Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband works for consumers

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv) is an umbrella organisation that pools expertise from 16 Consumer Associations and more than 30 sector-specific consumer-policy associations – comprising over 2,000 organisations and seven million individual members – to advocate for strong consumer rights in Germany.

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