A representative study conducted by TNS emnid on behalf of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations reveals that digitalization plays an increasingly important role in the everyday life of German consumers. While consumers benefit from the new possibilities of digitalization the digitalization also poses new challenges to both consumers and consumer policy makers.
Inter alia, the study reveals that:
- 80% of all German consumers are online. Among the younger generation (18-29 years) the number even augments to 100%.
- 78% think that the Internet has a positive effect on their life.
- 54% search for health information online with almost 75% relying on that information.
- More than 50% usually accept General Terms and Conditions without having read them. Of these, 72% think Terms and Condition are too long and complex to read and 12% state that Terms and Conditions are unimportant for them.
- 76% think that issues such as data protection must be pursued more intensely.
Klaus Müller, director of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, commented on the study: “Digital consumer reality must be efficient and secure. This is why, consumer matters must have top priority both in national as well as in European legislation.”
Further information can be found here.
Source: Federation of German Consumer Organisations