This Friday, the Bundestag will vote on a plan to make it easier to cancel purchases on the Internet.
The federal government’s draft law, which is intended to implement a corresponding EU directive, stipulates that sellers must provide an easily recognizable cancellation function on their online user interface with just a few clicks. It must be available there during the cancellation period of 14 days.
“The cancellation button will probably be a legal requirement from summer onwards,” says Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD). Because if online shopping is child’s play, the same must apply to revocation.
Rules against “greenwashing”
A second decision that Parliament wants to make in the meeting is also relevant for companies. This involves harsher consequences for misleading statements about the supposedly positive properties of a product in terms of sustainability, environmental or climate protection. “Anyone who advertises that a product is “environmentally friendly” or “climate-neutral” must be able to substantiate their claim in the future – otherwise they may face a warning or even compensation,” says Hubig, who is also responsible for consumer protection in the federal government.
The new rules should apply from September 27, 2026. The Federal Council had proposed a longer sales period for products that have already been manufactured. However, in its recommendation for a resolution, the responsible committee of the Bundestag refers to the European Union’s time constraints and instead suggests that the minister should advocate for an extended deadline at EU level.