ElektroG: Missing ton symbol on product = anti-competitive

The Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main has ruled that the lack of a picture of the indication of the ElectroG, on the packaging of the product, in the form of a crossed-out tonne (see picture for the news), is anti-competitive.

Unlike the competent regional court, the Higher Regional Court ruled that Paragraph 9 II of the ElektroG would be a market conduct regime within the meaning of the UWG, which is why the applicant for an injunction in this case would also be entitled to an injunction. would be entitled to do so. The court thus contradicts a decision of the Higher Regional Court of Cologne a few years ago.

However, the principle of a system of conduct on the market […] suggests that the provision indirectly serves consumer protection. The consumer can already see from the symbol at the time of purchase that he cannot dispose of the product in household waste. He is very interested in this information, because he is reminded that he has to choose a different, usually more complex supply route. The provision of Section 9 para. 2 thus regulates a product-related bid. In any case, in the event of non-compliance, the consumer’s expectation to be offered a product that meets the legal provisions in the interests of the customer is disappointed.

The Senate therefore also affirmed the “perceptibility” required by the UWG:

An infringement of a system of conduct on the market, even if it consists in denying the consumer essential information, is not readily necessary, but only appreciably within the meaning of Paragraph 3a of the UWG if the consumer has withheld the essential information which is not information, depending on the circumstances, is needed to take an informed decision and its withholding is likely to induce the consumer to make a commercial decision which he would not otherwise have taken. In the event of a dispute, it cannot be ruled out that the missing symbol is likely to influence the purchasing decision of consumers.

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.