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Germany Opens Federal Register for Amazon Prime Price-Hike Lawsuit

The move lets long‑time subscribers join a VZ NRW collective action for potential refunds, with earlier Düsseldorf rulings favoring consumers now under appeal at the Federal Court.

Overview

  • The Federal Office of Justice has activated the Klageregister for the Verbraucherzentrale NRW Abhilfeklage filed at the Higher Regional Court in Hamm (Az. I-13 VKl 1/25).
  • Eligible Prime customers can register free of charge, typically until three weeks after the final oral hearing, and can precheck eligibility via the consumer group’s online Klage‑Check.
  • The claim targets Amazon’s 2022 Prime price increase imposed without explicit consent, and successful participants could currently recover up to about €60 each, potentially more with interest over time.
  • Lower courts in Düsseldorf held Amazon’s price‑adjustment clause invalid, but the decisions are not final because Amazon has lodged a revision with the Federal Court of Justice; the Hamm court has not set a hearing date.
  • Amazon rejects the allegations, saying customers were transparently informed and could cancel at any time, and a separate case by Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen challenges advertising changes on Prime Video.