Germany's top shopping sites pull 70 million unsafe listings in one month
A recent study has revealed that Germany’s biggest online shopping platforms removed nearly 70 million product listings in a single month. The investigation, carried out by the Federation of Consumer Organizations (VZBV), highlights ongoing concerns about unsafe and banned items still appearing for sale. The VZBV examined data from the EU’s database of product removals by online marketplaces. Their findings showed that, in November 2025 alone, the five largest German shopping platforms took down around 70 million listings. Of these, 30 million were flagged as either 'unsafe' or 'banned'.
However, the report also uncovered gaps in how the EU database interacts with online sellers. Weak cross-referencing means some dangerous products slip through and remain available to shoppers. In response, the VZBV is pushing for stricter controls. They want unsafe items blocked *before* they can be listed, rather than relying on removals after the fact.
The study exposes flaws in how online marketplaces monitor product safety. With millions of unsafe listings still appearing, the VZBV insists that pre-emptive blocking is the only way to fully protect consumers. The organisation is now calling for urgent changes to how platforms screen items before they go on sale.
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