The number of complaints about annoying and unauthorized telephone advertising remains at a high level. From january to 10. In july, the federal network agency registered 28.618 complaints and imposed 12 bub fines.
This is the result of the federal government’s answer to a question from the green party in the bundestag, which was made available to the german press agency. A redress procedure is always based on a rough number of consumer complaints – "often several hundred, but sometimes up to 3,000," it says.
Telephone advertising is subject to strict regulations in germany. No one may be called for advertising purposes without prior express consent. In 2017, by the end of november 52.342 written complaints received, significantly more than in the previous year. In 2016, there were only around 29.300. The federal government explained this, among other things, with a greater awareness of the problem among consumers and a renewed online platform that facilitates complaints.
Although the numbers remained at the highest level, nothing happened, criticized tabea robner, a member of the bundestag’s legal affairs committee and a member of the grunen parliament. "Unauthorized telephone advertising and subcontracted contracts must finally be effectively combated"."
In a motion in the bundestag, the greens demand that all contracts made over the phone must be confirmed in writing. They want to limit the consent to advertising calls to two years and make it more visible so that it cannot be mixed with other consents. For the federal network agency, the greens are calling for more staff and further sanctions, such as basing bureau fines on the company’s revenue.
Last summer, the federal network agency announced that it had imposed a record fine of 300.000 euros against the electricity supplier energy2day. Around 2500 complaints about advertising calls from the company had been received. It was the first time the federal grid agency fully utilized its bubgeldrahmen.