Observed Signal · May 16, 2023 · Regulation · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Austrian Consumer Group Wins Lawsuit Against Klarna
The Austrian Arbeiterkammer (AK) has successfully sued Swedish payments provider Klarna over its terms and business practices. The Vienna Commercial Court ruled that seven of Klarna's clauses and one of its business practices are impermissible. Criticized elements included scattered and unclear general terms and conditions, inconsistent payment due dates, rules forcing complaints to be filed only via Klarna's own channels, and uniform graduated reminder fees regardless of the actual debt situation. The court did not, however, find evidence that Klarna violated competition law by repeatedly demanding payment for non-existent or settled claims. The case followed numerous consumer complaints, including reports of young people accumulating significant debt. Klarna responded that the ruling refers to older terms and conditions that were revised in early 2022 as part of a global initiative.
Austrian court ruling against BNPL provider Klarna's consumer terms and debt practices; regulatory relevance for e-commerce payments but limited global industry impact.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Vienna Commercial Court declared seven of Klarna's clauses and one business practice impermissible.
- The court did not prove Klarna violated competition law by repeatedly demanding payment for non-existent debts.
- Criticized practices included scattered T&Cs, variable payment due dates, forced complaint reporting via Klarna channels, and graduated reminder fees.
- Klarna states the ruling refers to outdated terms revised in early 2022.
- Concerns were raised about young consumers accumulating Klarna debt via TikTok and Instagram under #klarnaschulden.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“das schwedische Unternehmen Klarna hat die Arbeiterkammer in Österreich sieben Klauseln und zwei Geschäftspraktiken gerichtlich überprüfen l...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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