Overview
- Germany’s statistics office reports that 29% of roughly 577,400 people who sought debt counselling in 2024 had debts to online and mail‑order retailers, averaging €644 per person and accounting for about 2% of total average debts.
- Younger borrowers are most exposed: 40% of counselled 20‑ to 24‑year‑olds had online‑retailer arrears, and women both incurred such debts more often (36% versus 24% of men) and owed more on average (€834 versus €463).
- A Schufa survey finds rising payment stress, with 11% of respondents unable to pay rent or loan instalments in the past six months, 26% of 18‑ to 25‑year‑olds deferring rent or instalments, and 44% of BNPL users missing at least one deadline.
- From 20 November 2025, EU rules classify sub‑€200, interest‑free purchases as consumer credit requiring creditworthiness checks; Klarna says it will be fully compliant in EU markets by November 2026, and PayPal says it already conducts checks.
- Consumer advocates warn that checks on very small sums may be perfunctory and major retailers fear tougher invoice purchases, while one reported SPD idea to require postal written consent for online credit products is described as a negotiation proposal, not settled law.