Bureaucracy weighs heavily on German online sellers

Nine out of ten online sellers in Germany report that bureaucratic procedures place a heavy or very heavy burden on their operations, according to a new survey by the German retailers’ association Händlerbund. Well over half of the respondents describe the burden as very heavy, while another 33 percent label it as heavy and recurring. Only a small fraction considers the constraints moderate or low, with none reporting no bureaucratic issues. The primary sources of administrative hassle involve product safety rules and packaging regulations, which 76 percent of retailers struggle with. Data protection and GDPR compliance rank third among challenges, cited by 54 percent of sellers. Sustainability and reporting requirements also burden a majority, highlighting that the issue stems from the sheer number and complexity of parallel obligations rather than a single rule. Onlinehändler News, the editorial arm of Händlerbund, characterizes these processes as a structural obstacle to efficiency, growth, and innovation across the sector. Entrepreneurs spend significant time complying with laws, reducing their flexibility. Without concrete simplifications, smaller players risk facing a serious competitive disadvantage in a tight market where Amazon.de already accounts for 60 percent of online sales. To mitigate these pressures, 77 percent of online retailers call for clearer and more practical legislation, while two-thirds want less frequent legislative changes. Additionally, 62 percent request simplified forms and procedures. The association warns that failure to address these issues could accelerate market consolidation in favor of large platforms.