Observed Signal · Sep 9, 2026 · Regulation · Source: Retail-News · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Drogerie dm Eye Screening: Court Verdict Expected in November
The Karlsruhe Regional Court has heard a case on the competitive legality of an AI-supported eye screening offered in selected dm drugstore branches. The verdict is expected on November 26, 2026. The service, offered with Skleo Health, provides a vision test and retinal photography for 14.95 euros, with AI-based evaluation and medical validation via email. The Wettbewerbszentrale (German competition watchdog) sees several legal issues: staff qualifications under the Heilpraktikergesetz, proper use of medical devices, whether the result report constitutes a medical service, and whether advertising overpromises early disease detection. The ruling could have significance beyond dm, influencing future health services in retail.
News about a court case on a retail health service, not directly relevant to AdTech/MarTech/AI advertising industry. While it involves AI, the focus is on healthcare regulation in retail, not advertising technology or marketing.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- LG Karlsruhe will announce its verdict on November 26, 2026.
- The eye screening is offered in selected dm stores for €14.95.
- Skleo Health is the partner for the screening service.
- The Wettbewerbszentrale filed a lawsuit against dm and Skleo Health.
- The screening includes AI-based retinal image analysis and medical validation.
- language_detected_likely_german
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
dm launches TV and CTV campaign for dm-med online pharmacy
German drugstore chain dm-drogerie markt has launched its first major TV and connected TV campaign for its online pharmacy dm-med, starting September 1. The campaign, under the claim "Alles zusammen. Einfach bestellt" ("Everything together. Simply ordered"), shows consumers combining drugstore products and pharmacy-only items in a single order via the dm app or dm.de. It airs on Das Erste, Sat.1, RTL, Vox, and ProSieben. Marketing chief Sebastian Bayer said TV and CTV were chosen to raise awareness of dm-med, which launched in December 2025 and is not visible in physical stores. Media planning remains with Hamburg agency mediaplan, creative work with agency rayon, and spot production with WongDoody Stuttgart. The Wettbewerbszentrale is currently suing dm over the new dm-med pharmacy business.
dm CEO Christoph Werner: 'We Raise Our Voice'
dm CEO Christoph Werner discusses the retailer's recent strategic moves in a Lebensmittelzeitung interview published 2026-07-27. Six months after launching its online pharmacy dm‑med at the start of the year, Werner gives a first assessment, saying the new service is pleasing but that dm will not sell prescription-only medicines for now. The interview also covers dm's expanding food business and the company's intent to become more visible ("increase the volume"). The article is authored by Miriam Hebben and Christiane Preuschat and published by Lebensmittelzeitung / Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH.
German Court to Rule on SCHUFA Transparency and AI Impact
The German Federal Court (BGH) is set to decide whether SCHUFA's GDPR data copy must include detailed explanations of how individual credit scores are calculated. Five private plaintiffs argue SCHUFA fails to disclose which data and weightings determine personal scores; the Dresden Higher Regional Court previously found existing disclosures insufficient. SCHUFA recently launched a new, more transparent score system (100–999 scale with 12 criteria) and says it already meets enhanced transparency demands. The outcome could clarify the scope of transparency obligations for automated, data‑driven decisions under the GDPR and affect not only credit bureaus but many future AI‑based scoring systems. A new legal framework for “materially significant scores” will take effect in German law from November 2026.
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