Consumer advocates do not want to accept higher prices
Streaming is getting more expensive. Prime Video prices will rise shortly, Disney+ won’t wait much longer either. But German consumer advocates don’t want to just let that happen. They accuse Disney of not being allowed to raise prices at all – and go to court.
Disney + should soon become more expensive for German subscribers. This is shown by a look at the USA, where the group has already announced a strong price increase. Instead of the current $7.99 per month, streaming customers will be charged $10.99. The new prices are to apply from December 8, 2022. The surcharge for the annual subscription is even higher.
Consumer protection is dragging Disney + to court: the prices are to blame
It is still unclear how high the prices for the German streaming offer will be or when the price increase will make it across the pond. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: Sooner or later it will be more expensive. Amazon is already leading the way with Prime membership.
But can Disney actually just raise the prices to suit the mouse company? No, at least they think so Consumer Center Brandenburg. Disney has already been warned there as a result of a previous price increase. The accusation: The Disney+ terms of use are insufficient with regard to future price adjustments.
Disney grants itself the right “to increase its prices unilaterally and without any restrictions at the expense of customers,” writes the consumer advice center. The European branch of Disney was then asked to stop, and there was no reaction. so take consumer advocates to court.
This is what Disney offers:
For future price adjustments, concrete cost reasons would have to be given, which could lead to the costs for end customers increasing, according to the consumer advice center. Customers should be able to assess what to expect a pure profit maximization of the providers as a reason for price increases, however, can be ruled out.
Lawsuit Against Disney: What Does It Mean For Disney+ Customers?
The outcome of the lawsuit against Disney is still open. Either way, it is unlikely that current prices for German customers will stop rising. Instead it will amount to a reformulation of the terms of use at most. Last year, the Federal Court of Justice ruled in Netflix’s terms and conditions that unjustified price increases are not possible.
