
The Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs
The Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs was established in November 2014 by the Federal Ministry of Justice and for Consumer Protection. Since 2022, the Council has been assigned to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection. By drawing on scientific and practice-based insights, the Council advises the Ministry responsible for consumer protection and consumer policy. The Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs is an independent body based in Berlin.
Topics
Insurance against Natural Hazards
Climate change is in full swing. Consequently, the incidence of natural hazards like flooding, heavy rain, but also droughts, is increasing. These events can inflict significant damage. While extreme weather events can affect anyone, only half of Germany’s building stock is insured against the risks posed by natural disasters. As a result, society as a whole tends to bear the economic burden associated with extreme weather, as has often been the case in the past. To address this issue, the Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs has discussed the introduction of mandatory insurance against natural hazards.
Energy
The energy transition (Energiewende) poses a central challenge en route to a sustainable future. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine only intensified the pressure on policymakers to act. At the height of the energy crisis, hikes in energy bills imposed a considerable financial burden, especially on low-income households. To meet with broad public acceptance, the energy transition ought to reflect the needs of consumers, for example by distributing the revenue generated by carbon pricing.
Sustainability
In the context of the sustainable transformation, the Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs explores consumer-friendly approaches to climate adaptation. Thus far, this topic has received relatively little attention in consumer policy. To address this gap, the Council seeks to combine perspectives from environmental and consumer law. The nexus between these two legal domains is fraught with problems and conflicting objectives, which the Council addressed, for example, by referring to returns in online shopping, and in a statement on the ‘right to repair’.
Social Inequality and Consumption
Social inequality affects the consumption behaviour of various population groups. Higher levels of income and wealth facilitate more resource-intensive lifestyles, whereas poorer households are more restricted, and further impacted by the rising cost of living. This disparity influences the transition towards more sustainable practices. Higher earners are better placed to reduce consumption, but may struggle to change their habits. In contrast, those who are worse off financially face comparatively higher burdens imposed by measures such as carbon pricing. In addition to sustainable consumption and energy use, social inequality moderates the individual impact of natural disasters, as well as interaction with digital content. Therefore, social inequality interlinks with other key themes investigated by the Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs.
Virtual Worlds and Immersive Technologies
The internet and related technologies go through a process of constant redevelopment: the desktop PC preceded the laptop, which foreshadowed the proliferation of smartphones. Immersive technologies – Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) – mark a new developmental stage. To date, it is not entirely clear how these novel technologies will affect consumers’ daily life. Yet preliminary implications for consumer policy have already emerged. The Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs advocates for anticipatory assessments, considering the potentials and pitfalls of VR/AR in equal measure.
Office
The office of the Advisory Council on Consumer Affairs supports the Council members’ research and advisory work.

Head

Research Associate

Research Associate