Streaming services are increasingly the focus of consumer protection groups – not only because of rising prices, but also because of non-transparent business practices. One recent case concerns Disney+: In recent months, the provider had denied users access to their own account shortly before their current subscription expired if they did not actively agree to a new contract. The North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center has now successfully issued a warning about this practice. Disney+ must cease its practice by May 31, 2025 – otherwise contractual penalties will be imposed.
The decision could send a signal to the entire industry, as it reinforces the principle that paid content must be accessible until the last day – regardless of subsequent contract models.
In a nutshell:
- Disney+ had to issue a cease-and-desist declaration due to unlawful access restrictions
- Customer access was blocked prematurely if no agreement to a new subscription was given
- Consumer advice center NRW sets deadline until May 31, 2025
- Affected users should contact the consumer advice center from June
Forced to make a decision: account only against contract amendment
At the center of the criticism was a particularly aggressive practice: users whose Premium subscription was about to expire could not log into their account as usual. Instead, they were automatically redirected to a page that only presented them with three options – cancel, change their plan or take out a new (usually more expensive) subscription. In this case, it was no longer possible to use the subscription that had already been paid for but was still active.
“Consumers must not be pressured into accepting contract changes by technical barriers,” says Iwona Husemann, a lawyer at the NRW consumer advice center. “Access to services that have already been paid for must not be linked to acceptance of new conditions.”
In the view of the NRW consumer advice center, this was a technical barrier designed to exert pressure on customers. After all, those who did not make an immediate decision effectively lost access to their paid content. This contradicts the applicable contract law: valid services must remain usable without restriction until the end of the term.
The warning is having an effect. Disney+ has issued a cease-and-desist declaration with a penalty clause and has undertaken to refrain from this practice from June 1, 2025 at the latest. Consumers who are still affected after this date can contact the NRW consumer advice center by emailing service@verbraucherzentrale.nrw.
Background: Price increases and contract changes
The conflict comes at a time of ongoing changes at Disney+. Back in October 2024, the provider introduced a price increase in Germany without much advance notice. Since then, the standard subscription without advertising has cost €9.99 per month, while the premium subscription with 4K and Dolby Atmos costs €13.99 – an increase of around 17% compared to the previous year. The annual subscriptions have also become correspondingly more expensive.
As part of these changes, Disney+ also restructured its tariffs and focused on greater differentiation between ad-financed and premium models. The possibility of using technical means to persuade users to switch quickly seemed to have been a strategic tool – now it has been legally blocked.
It remains to be seen whether other providers will use similar methods or whether this decision will also have an impact outside of Disney+. What is clear, however, is that expectations of transparent, fair subscription models are growing – not only among consumer advocates, but also among users themselves.
Conclusion: user rights strengthened, pressure on providers grows
Disney+ must end its access restrictions before the expiry of current subscriptions from June 1, 2025. The decision by the NRW consumer advice center strengthens confidence in fair contractual conditions in the streaming market. Anyone who is still affected by such blocks should contact the consumer advocates immediately. The price of the Disney+ premium model remains unchanged at 13.99 euros per month – for the time being.
