Caroline Meller-Hannich

Verbraucherschutz und Nachhaltigkeit

Section: Abhandlungen und Diskussionsberichte
Volume 225 (2025) / Issue 4, pp. 692-731 (40)
Published 20.01.2026
DOI 10.1628/acp-2025-0024
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  • 10.1628/acp-2025-0024
Summary

The concept of freedom and autonomy behind consumer law must be rebalanced if
sustainability and consumer protection are to be combined. Through the European
Green Deal, consumers have become promoters of a sustainable internal market, which
significantly influences imports to this market. On this basis, private autonomy is only
protected if it is sustainable. The author believes that this approach, which is based on
a new understanding of freedom and autonomy, offers a more promising vision for the
future than a purely consumption-related concept of consumer law.