Consumer advocates demand better protection against door-to-door sales - financial expert explains

Consumer advocates demand better protection against door-to-door sales - financial expert explains

According to a report by www.faz.net, new figures show that consumer complaints about door-to-door sales, such as fiber optic connections or energy deals, have increased by more than 20 percent compared to the same period last year. The consumer advice centers recorded a good 5,400 complaints from January to October and are pushing for better protection against such harassment and contractual traps.

According to the data, 35 percent of complaints related to landline offerings for telephony and internet, followed by electricity at 13 percent and mobile offerings at 6 percent. The largest increase in complaints was recorded for mobile communications, followed by renewable energy and fixed-line offerings.

These figures show the need for better protection against door-to-door sales and underline the importance that door-to-door visits should only be permitted with the prior consent of consumers. Consumer advocates are also calling for an extension of the cancellation period for doorstep contracts from 14 to 30 days.

Given these figures, the impact on the market could be that companies that rely on door-to-door sales face increased scrutiny and regulation. Pressure on such companies to ensure ethical practices and transparency may increase. For consumers, increased regulation could mean that they are better protected against unwanted door-to-door sales and have more security when concluding contracts.

It is important that consumer protection organizations and regulators work closely together to ensure that consumers are protected from reckless and misleading door-to-door sales and that retailers adhere to ethical practices.