Consumer Information
Here you‘ll find tests and analyses for high-quality and good-value consumption. These links will also show you how to protect your health and the environment, or the best way to invest your money.
Eco-Seal
Natural foods are labeled as such. The state eco-seal (Bio-Siegel) for ecological agricultural products denotes high-quality foods which live up to the requirements of the EU Ecological Regulations. Under threat of criminal penalties, producers and processors must follow regulations determining safety and which additives they can use. At least 95 percent of agricultural products used come from ecological farms.
Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety
The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) has been working to promote healthy meals in German households since 2002. This office coordinates food monitoring and approves plant protection products and veterinary drugs. The BVL also works as the German liaison office for early-warning systems in the European Union.
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
Information on a healthy diet using safe food products or more transparent energy prices: the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) provides assistance to food producers and stands up for consumer rights. It supports German companies in tapping into new markets and is active worldwide in the fight against hunger.
German Energy Agency
Using energy efficiently and producing it with environmentally sound technologies – that’s what Germany’s road into the future looks like. The German Energy Agency (dena) works together with politicians and representatives of industry to develop models for the energy supplies of tomorrow. Its shareholders are the Federal Republic of Germany and the KfW Bank Group.
German Tenants’ Association
Does the landlord have the right to keep a duplicate key? Must rent be reduced if ants infest the apartments? For more than 100 years the German Tenants Association (Deutscher Mieterbund e.V., DMB) has been upholding the interests of tenants. It offers legal advice to members and helps in the case of disputes.
Foundation for Consumer Testing
In 1964 the federal government founded an “Institute for the Implementation of Comparative Investigations of Goods and Services”: the independent Stiftung Warentest (Foundation for Consumer Testing). Along with news, the website provides all tests published since January 2000. They can also be selected according to categories such as “Auto + Verkehr“ (Automobile + Transportation) or “Essen + Trinken” (Food + Drink).
