Overview

• The Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband filed suit at the Oberlandesgericht Bamberg against Heroes Festival GmbH for refusing a cease-and-desist declaration over €1.50 activation and €0.50 refund charges.
• Since May 2025 the VZBV has sent warnings to ten festival organizers over chip activation fees, refund charges, minimum payout thresholds and short refund deadlines, securing cease-and-desist declarations from eight.
• Landgerichte in Berlin and Bochum ruled earlier this year that activation fees and minimum refund thresholds for prepaid Bezahlchips violate German consumer protection laws.
• Under German law festival organizers must refund full remaining chip balances without surcharges and consumers have up to three years to claim unused funds.
• The VZBV is assessing legal action against the only unresponsive organizer and continues to monitor chip-based payment practices at major festivals nationwide.