• Over 200,000 people have registered for a class action against Prime Video ads.
• The Saxony Consumer Advice Centre calls the ads a hidden price increase.
• A hearing at the Bavarian Higher Regional Court is pending; registration remains open.
• Parallel suits seek €1.8 billion and challenge a 2022 Prime price rise.
What happened
More than 201,000 people have signed up for a class action launched by the Saxony Consumer Advice Centre challenging the introduction of advertising on Amazon Prime Video. The consumer advocates say showing ads by default in films and series — with an option to pay an extra €3 per month to remove them — amounts to a covert price increase and an unlawful unilateral contract change.
The consumer centre reported the figure on Tuesday, calling it the largest mobilisation under Germany’s Consumer Rights Enforcement Act since it took effect in October 2023. Registration for the class action remains open on the Saxony Consumer Advice Centre’s website.
What the class action alleges
The suit argues Amazon changed the terms of existing Prime subscriptions without obtaining users’ consent. Michael Hummel of the Saxony Consumer Advice Centre said: “We are of the opinion that a concluded contract cannot simply be changed unilaterally. Amazon should have asked its customers for their consent.” The advocates compared the update to a “unilateral adjustment in the style of a feudal lord.”
According to the claim, the default insertion of ad breaks alters the subscription’s value and effectively raises the price unless users pay the monthly surcharge to remove ads.
Legal timeline and next steps
The consumer advocates say they are still waiting for a hearing date at the Bavarian Higher Regional Court. The interim report on registrations is designed to draw attention to the case and potentially exert pressure on the judiciary and Amazon.
If the court rules in favour of the plaintiffs, affected Prime subscribers could be eligible for refunds or other remedies under German consumer law. Details on the scope of reimbursement will depend on the court’s findings and any further legal steps.
Other proceedings against Amazon
Several related legal actions are running in parallel. At the end of 2025, the Saxony Consumer Advice Centre filed a litigation-funded disgorgement claim seeking €1.8 billion — the amount it says represents remaining advertising profits after refunds to class action participants. That sum would, the centre says, flow to the Federal Republic of Germany if recovered.
The North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Centre has also filed a class action contesting Amazon’s 2022 Prime price increase, arguing that users were not asked to consent to the higher subscription fees.
Why it matters
The case could set a precedent for how streaming services implement ad-supported tiers and adjust subscription terms across Europe. For now, Prime subscribers in Germany can still register for the class action while the courts schedule hearings.
Image Referance: https://www.heise.de/en/news/Prime-Video-Consumer-advocates-report-200-000-sign-ups-for-class-action-lawsuit-11171561.html