How the state budget influences the budget of the Bremen Consumer Center

How the state budget influences the budget of the Bremen Consumer Center

According to a report from www.butenunbinnen.de, the state's money for budget and energy law advice from the Bremen consumer advice center is no longer being used. The offer, which was previously publicly funded and free of charge, will expire at the end of the year.

The head of the consumer advice center, Annabel Oelmann, explains that the country's budget for 2024 will probably not be decided until the middle of next year. Until then, only essential spending is permitted and therefore projects cannot be restarted or extended. This also applies to the advisory service, which was limited from the outset until the end of 2023 and would have to be extended in order to continue to exist.

The consumer advice center's budget advice helps consumers to get an overview of their household budget. You can get help from energy legal advice if, for example, energy providers increase their prices or the bills are incorrect.

The impact of the loss of public funding on the market and consumers is likely to be negative. Consumers who relied on free budget and energy legal advice may now have to resort to paid alternatives. This could increase social inequalities as lower-income consumers may not be able to access advice services.

With this restriction, providers of paid consulting services can also benefit by gaining a larger customer base. This could lead to an increase in the cost of such services as demand increases.

Recent events highlight the need for continued public support for consumer advice to ensure a fair and accessible service for all consumers.