For decades, consumers have been looking at Stiftung Warentest reports when making purchasing decisions. The organization enjoys an excellent reputation – companies are sometimes afraid of the strict criteria.
Bamboo cups instead of the plastic alternative – that sounds sustainable, environmentally friendly and harmless. After all, the raw material grows back and, when processed into a cup, should not release any harmful substances. But the manufacturers' big marketing promise was a big fraud, as a test by Stiftung Warentest in 2019 showed.
Testing for quality and safety
The coffee-to-go cups examined were by no means only made of bamboo. A melamine-based plastic was usually added to give the cup structure. Melamine is harmless in itself, but only at temperatures up to 70 degrees. From then on, large amounts pass into the drink and can damage the bladder or kidneys. And that's exactly what Stiftung Warentest was able to prove with most of the cups.
Stiftung Warentest has been examining products and services for quality and safety for 60 years. According to its own information, the institute carried out 9,200 tests during this time. 30,000 goods and services are tested every year using scientific methods at independent testing institutes.
Counterpole to advertising
What is now one of the best-known and most influential consumer organizations in the country began as a small initiative in 1964. At the instigation of the then Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, the institute was intended to provide a counterpoint to the growing advertising campaigns of the economy.
The companies' response was not very positive; after all, people were already “sufficiently informed by advertising,” explained the Federation of German Industries at the time.
The first test reports were published in 1966 in the magazine “DER test” – a format that is still published regularly today under the title “test” and reaches millions of subscribers. Consumers can now also access the reports online or via an app. The institute also reaches the youngest generation on social media, for example on Instagram. Over 220,000 people follow the account there.
Independence as a trademark
The success of Stiftung Warentest is based primarily on the independence of the tests. The foundation does not rely on advertising or donations. It is financed largely from the sale of test reports and magazines.
Previously there were annual subsidies from the federal government. Since this year, Stiftung Warentest has even been independent of politics and can stay afloat without government subsidies.
This step seems important because politicians did not always agree with the institute's test reports. The testers repeatedly set their own limit values and go beyond legal limit values in their evaluations.
In 2012, the Advent Calendar Foundation tested for mineral oil residues. She was able to detect mineral oil in 24 calendars and warned against buying it. However, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment considered the assessment to be greatly exaggerated. As a result, guideline values for exposure to mineral oils were nevertheless introduced.
Great trust among the population
Despite criticism from politicians and countless lawsuits from companies against test results, Stiftung Warentest enjoys a good reputation among the population. In a survey by infratest dimap from 2023, 74 percent of those surveyed said they had great or very great trust in the institute. This meant that Stiftung Warentest was ahead of institutions such as the Federal Constitutional Court.
And so the institute became an institution. If a product fails a test and receives a grade of “unsatisfactory,” this can contribute to the failure of an entire product line. Journalists also repeatedly refer to Stiftung Warentest reports in articles and disseminate the reviews.
New challenges
In recent years, topics such as sustainability and ethical responsibility have become increasingly important. Consumers are also guided by the origin of the products and their environmental impact. Stiftung Warentest has also recognized this development and is carrying out tests on sustainability and environmental protection: for example on supposedly sustainable fashion brands or natural cosmetics.
Even 60 years after Stiftung Warentest was founded, the institute wants to continue to contribute to putting purchasing decisions on a well-founded basis. “We exist because we want to make life better for people out there,” says board member Julia Bönisch. “It would be an incredible effort if everyone had to research themselves: What is the best refrigerator, the best travel cancellation insurance for me?”
