The energy price crisis is a consumer crisis – this is what the new Consumer Report 2022 by the Federation of German Federation of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) is showing. Consumers are worried about energy supplies in the fall and winter and about financial burdens. In response to rising prices, people are saving – on electricity and heating, but also on restaurant visits, vacations or shopping.
Consumer protection is still of central importance to people. However, fewer and fewer consumers:inside see their interests well protected - especially in the area of electricity and heating. Here, the perceived level of protection has declined significantly compared with the previous year. This is consistent with the complaints received by the consumer advice centers. There, complaints about electricity tripled in the first half of 2022 compared with the same period last year – and even increased sevenfold in the area of gas.
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