Germany: Cancellation button for online shopping coming in 2022

Shortly before the turn of the year, the Rhineland-Palatinate Consumer Center and Consumer Protection Minister Katharina Binz (The Greens) drew attention to important innovations which will apply from 2022. Among other things, a cancellation button will then be mandatory for online stores.

Consumer protection: the innovations in 2022 – Including cancellation button

In 2022, consumers can look forward to two important changes, among others. On the one hand, new rules around contract extensions and notice periods come into force, on the other hand, the so-called cancellation button in online shopping comes as a duty.

Consumer Protection Minister Katharina Binz commented: “Previously, contracts could be automatically extended without the consumer’s renewed consent if they were not cancelled in time. This will no longer be possible for all contracts after March 1, 2022. After the initial contractual term, consumers will then be able to cancel their contracts, for example subscriptions or cell phone contracts, at any time on a monthly basis. This is a real improvement.”

In July, the cancellation button in online shopping will also be made mandatory, it applies to contracts concluded online – for example, a gym membership or a magazine subscription.

The introduction of the button will make it quicker and easier to cancel corresponding subscriptions. Previously, there had been no requirement for contracts concluded online to also be cancelled online, but that will change on July 01, 2022.

New warranty law for digital products

Also new are extensive warranty rights that consumers will be able to claim when buying digital products from January 1, 2022. As such, contracts for digital content such as e-books and software, as well as digital services such as social networks and video streaming contracts, will apply.

For at least two years from the date of purchase, various warranty rights can be claimed from January (right to replacement, reduction, subsequent performance, termination of contract), as previously only applied to analog contracts.

In addition, the reversal of the burden of proof will be extended from six months to one year for all contracts concluded from January 1, 2022. This means that in the first year after the purchase of the goods, it is presumed that they were defective from the beginning and warranty rights can be asserted.

Change in mandatory deposit

Furthermore, with effect from January 01, 2022, the mandatory deposit in Germany will be significantly extended and will then apply to all non-refillable plastic bottles. Until now, some fruit and vegetable juices have remained exempt from the one-way deposit of 25 cents. With the new regulation, all beverage cans will also be subject to a deposit.