Thus in 1964 the Federal Government, together with the Association of Consumers’ Unions (AgV), set up a foundation in Berlin known as “Stiftung Warentest”, which tests goods of all kinds from the ballpoint pen to the personal computer as to quality, value for money and compatibility with the environment. Services, too, are tested. This organization meanwhile screens about 1,700 articles in roughly 100 comparative testings each year.

Stiftung Warentest only calls upon independent experts and institutes and has earned a good reputation from consumers and manufacturers alike. The latter are glad to advertize the fact that their products have been deemed “good” or “very good” by Stiftung Warentest. The foundation’s main publications are the magazine “Test”, which appears monthly and has a circulation of about one million, and the magazine “FINANZ-Test”. Test results are also regularly publicized in some 160 newspapers and periodicals as well as on radio and television.

The public can also seek advice from roughly 350 regional consumer centers, which provide information on the quality and prices of goods and services and receive financial support from the government. Before parliament introduces new consumer protection legislation, it consults the consumers’ unions.