Regulation Market: Consumer Protection Group Sues Netflix, Sky, Apple TV+ Over Price Hikes

The Austrian consumer protection association VSV (Verbraucherschutzverein) has announced class-action lawsuits against streaming services Netflix, Apple TV, and Sky's streaming service Wow over unilateral price increases. The VSV claims these companies raised prices for existing subscribers multiple times, relying on price adjustment clauses in their terms of service without obtaining separate consent from customers, which the association deems unfair and invalid. The VSV seeks reimbursements between 200 and 700 euros per affected customer and is partnering with a Berlin law firm and a litigation funder, who will receive a 9.9% cut of any proceeds. Sky confirmed the lawsuit is under review, while Netflix stated that the lawsuit has not yet been served and emphasized that it did not rely on such clauses in Germany, instead obtaining explicit consent from customers. This legal action follows similar past cases against DAZN and Prime Video.