Nudging offers new political options to expand the scope of political instruments for consumer policy. In this regard, nudges are different from hard regulation or economic incentives, but instead work by changing the decision context. Thereby, socially desired choice options shall be chosen with greater probability while all choice options still remain eligible. Yet, critics of the nudge approach ask: “When does nudging count in the sense of better regulation and when must it be interpreted as manipulation?” or “Is nudging possible without questioning the freedom of citizens in general?”
Together with Linda Teuteberg (member of the Federal Executive Board of the FDP and deputy chairperson of the FDP in Brandenburg) Dr Jana Diels from ConPolicy engaged in the discussion around these and other questions in the course of the Berlin PubTalk.