ABSTRACT
Germany is Europe's largest economy, and it has a strong consumer market which includes the sale of goods, services as well as digital products and which has increased rapidly in the recent years. A German consumer who encounters a problem with the purchased good or service will normally contact the trader, who is his or her contracting partner, directly - and in the vast majority of these cases, he or she proposes an acceptable solution. If this informal procedure fails to resolve the consumer's complaint, an alternative dispute resolution mechanism can be a reasonable option. The consumers can also enforce their rights through litigation in civil courts. The German legal system does not only rely on the individual enforcement of consumer legislation. The most important piece of legislation in the area of private law in Germany is the German Civil Code, which originates from 1900.
