Overview
- The Higher Regional Court in Düsseldorf dismissed Amazon's appeal and confirmed that the Prime price‑adjustment clause used in 2022 is invalid, with a revision to the Federal Court of Justice allowed.
- Judges found the clause granted Amazon a unilateral right to raise fees without transparent criteria or explicit customer consent, breaching good‑faith contract principles.
- Affected Prime members can now demand refunds, and the Verbraucherzentrale NRW is preparing a collective action that eligible consumers can join once it is filed and listed in the official register.
- The 2022 increase lifted monthly fees from €7.99 to €8.99 and annual fees from €69.00 to €89.90, with overpayments reported up to about €62.70 for annual plans and €28 for monthly plans.
- Amazon said it will thoroughly review the judgment and consider further legal steps, asserting it informed customers transparently and in accordance with the law.