Description
The Verbraucherzentralen are the consumer advice centres of the 16 German federal states: non-profit associations, mostly publicly funded, that advise on contracts, energy, insurance, banking, food and digital rights, and take companies to court when needed. They are an alternative to relying on the customer service of the company a consumer is in dispute with, and to comparison sites paid by commissions.
Together they run about 200 advice centres, and with their federation, the vzbv, employ more than 2,000 people. The states, towns and districts fund them, along with federal projects, and they earn some money from paid advice and guides. The website offers free articles, sample letters for common problems and a complaint form. The vzbv also brings collective actions: its model case against Volkswagen over the diesel scandal ended in 2020 with a settlement worth about €750 million for some 240,000 owners, and in 2026 the Verbraucherzentralen won a ruling against E.ON’s district heating price clauses, not yet final.
Prices vary by state. In North Rhine-Westphalia (checked November 2026), the first conversation and debt advice are free, energy advice is free in the centre or by phone and costs €40 at home, legal advice costs €20, insurance advice €55 per half hour, and advice on investments or mortgages €230.
Strengths
- Independent advice with nothing to sell, and the power to take companies to court for many consumers at once.
- Free articles, sample letters and a complaint form for common problems.
- About 200 advice centres across all 16 states, plus phone and video advice.
Weaknesses
- Personal advice is often paid, and on investments or mortgages it costs €230 in North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Services and prices differ from one state to the next.
- They depend on public money from the states and federal government, whose budgets can change.
Who it is for
Consumers in Germany with a problem with a contract, a bill or a company, and households who want impartial advice on energy, insurance or investments.
Sources
- Verbraucherzentrale: home, über uns; Verbraucherzentrale NRW: Preise, Energieberatung, checked November 2026
- vzbv: über uns
- Wikipedia: Verbraucherzentrale