Personalisierte Preise

Ongoing technological change increases the likelihood of algorithm-based personalization of consumer prices, which is, however, associated with new risks for consumers. Jakob Metzger approaches this phenomenon by first analyzing the socio-economic effects of such pricing models and, on that basis, developing an independent legal definition of personalized prices. This is followed by a systematic examination of the existing legal framework, in which the inclusion of all relevant areas of law - among them consumer law, competition law, and unfair competition law, but also the law of the networked society - allows for a holistic assessment and reveals existing regulatory shortcomings. The author ultimately addresses these deficiencies by comparatively and critically assessing potential regulatory options. The focus lies on the further development of existing information obligations, while more far-reaching regulatory measures are also discussed, such as the establishment of a market price transparency authority, the introduction of a reference price requirement, or the imposition of a specific tax on personalized prices.