The Association for Consumer Information (VKI) has received basic funding of 4.18 million euros for 2022.
That is less than for the areas Consumer information, legal advice, comparative tests, market studies and scientific activities VKI financing law would have been possible (4.25 million euros). The lower financing amount “The result of redistribution among individual cost units,” the report says.
Many questions about warranty or compensation
More than 14,500 free telephone and online consultations and 1,769 paid consultations and interventions were offered to companies. As in the past, almost a quarter of all inquiries related to the enforcement of warranties or compensation, especially in the electrical, electronics and furniture industries. In second place in 2022 were questions about price increases for energy and water. Cancellations by energy suppliers were also a problem.
118 comparative tests and market research
The European Consumer Center integrated into the VKI focused mainly on advice related to air travel and online shopping to solve cross-border problems. Last year, 118 comparative tests and market surveys were carried out. 231 procedures were conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs, responsible for consumer protection. The success rate was 97 percent. In terms of content, the actions mainly concerned energy supply, air travel, financial services and the corona pandemic.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
