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Changes in March: price brakes, time change, Aldi brochure - consumers need to know that

2023-02-28T08:34:03.407Z


March will again bring some changes for consumers: from the energy flat rate for students to beer prices - an overview;


March will again bring some changes for consumers: from the energy flat rate for students to beer prices - an overview;

Berlin - With the beginning of spring, the clock is turned again: At the end of March, people in Europe will be faced with the time change.

In Germany, too, the winter time ends.

On

Sunday, March 26, at 2:00 a.m.,

the hands will move forward one hour to 3:00 a.m.

The last Sunday in March is therefore an hour shorter, but from this point on it is noticeably longer in the evening. Daylight saving time ends again on the last Sunday in October.

One of the most important changes for many consumers is likely to be the energy price brakes for electricity, district heating and gas.

These apply to millions of consumers retrospectively from March 1st - also for the months of January and February.

According to the government, consumers don't have to take any action.

The financial relief comes automatically via the billing or via lower advance payments.

The industry association BDEW is asking consumers to be patient

because of the complex rules, according to

dpa .

  • You can find out how the energy price brakes are working now at

    Merkur.de

    .

  • The possible savings that gas and electricity customers can expect can be calculated on the Federal Government's website.

Changes in March for consumers - mask and testing obligations end

The

mask requirement

for employees and residents of clinics, nursing homes and medical practices ends on March 1st.

Exceptions apply to visitors.

They must wear masks until April 7th.

The remaining test obligations - for example for visits to hospitals and nursing homes - will generally cease to apply on March 1st.

The requirements are thus in line with the financing schedule: The offer of free “citizen tests” for everyone, even without symptoms, which has already been greatly reduced, will only run up to and including February 28th.

In February, the mask requirement for buses and trains was lifted.

Employees in medical practices - such as in Bavaria - have also no longer had to wear a mask since February 1st.

Online applications for students for a flat rate of 200 euros

Students and technical students should be able to apply for the long-awaited energy price flat rate of 200 euros

from March 15th

.

The approximately 3.5 million beneficiaries need a BundID account to identify themselves for the application.

In order to be able to submit the application, the website was set up. It is valid nationwide for all beneficiaries.

All of the beneficiaries' questions will also be answered there.

March changes for consumers - postal strikes continue, insurance plates now black

Deutsche Post customers must (as of February 25) continue to adjust to disabilities: Union members have until March 8 to decide whether there is an open-ended industrial dispute.

The result of the ballot is to be announced on March 9th.

The dispatch of letters or parcels is likely to be even more affected if consent is given.

+

E-scooter drivers will need a black license plate from March.

(icon picture)

© Michael Gstettenbauer/imago

From March 1st,

mopeds, mopeds and e-scooters can only

be driven with a black number plate.

These are available from insurers.

The color of the license plate changes annually between black, green and blue in order to be able to see more quickly whether the insurance cover is still up to date.

Changes in March - Deutsche Bahn waiting area only for special customers -

Deutsche

Bahn is restricting access to its special waiting areas

at major train stations.

If you want to use the lounges from March 1st, you need a long-distance ticket.

Until now, rail bonus status customers could also use these areas.

That's the end of it.

Microsoft and Amazon are discontinuing certain services

Microsoft

is discontinuing the VR platform “Altspace VR” on March 10th.

This step also shows that the assumed hype about the Metaverse is not bringing the hoped-for success.

If you still have an account, you can save all data locally up to the deadline, after that this is no longer possible.

This is

reported by

rtl.de.

Amazon

also

has a change ready for its customers.

The online retailer is discontinuing the "Dash Replenishment" service.

This is a service that automatically orders replenishment.

The idea of ​​the buttons is to be able to reorder everyday consumables such as toilet paper, detergent or even condoms at the touch of a button.

However, the concept did not catch on with customers,

Techbook

reports .

According to rtl.de,

it should finally be over

by March 31st .

Changes in March - ECB meets for rates meeting

The Governing Council of the European Central Bank meets on March 16 for its regular interest rate meeting.

It is taken for granted that the monetary watchdogs will raise key interest rates again in view of the inflation.

Rising key interest rates usually mean more expensive loans for consumers, but also higher interest rates on savings.

Big breweries raise prices

Inflation also affects large companies.

From March, the Krombacher brewery will increase prices, and the brewery's non-alcoholic beverages - such as Schweppes, Vitamalz and Orangina - will also become more expensive.

The Bitburger brewery and Veltins had previously passed on the increased costs to customers.

And the largest brewery in Germany, the Radeberger Group, justified the price adjustments with increased costs for energy, raw materials and supplies as well as for logistics last autumn.

Changes for consumers in March: Aldi brochure is pulped

According to Aldi, the printed advertising brochure "Aldi Inspiriert" will be discontinued from March 2023 for reasons of environmental protection.

From now on, the discounter only wants to offer the prospectus online for its customers, but with a larger range.

1.8 million issues were printed every two months.

The weekly advertising booklets will continue to be available in paper form, but also in digital form.

Customers have the option of requesting the current issues via WhatsApp.

Other retailers such as Kaufland, Metro, Netto, Penny and Rewe now also offer this service.

New KfW funding program starts - new EU regulation for televisions

On March 1, 2023, a new 

KfW funding program

for prospective property owners will start.

The program is called “climate-friendly new construction” and has the program number KfW 297/298.

And what advantage does it bring?

Very cheap loans for the construction or purchase of a new house.

However, strict sustainability standards apply.

Among other things, the new building must have the very high energy standard EH 40 and no fossil heating systems (e.g. oil, gas or pellet heating) may be installed.

And that too:

new maximum limits apply to the

power consumption of televisions , reports

computerbild.de

.

From March 2023, an EU regulation will come into force that is not just about colorful stickers.

Rather, maximum limits for electricity consumption come into force for the first time.

If a television is above it, it can no longer be sold.

In addition, a so-called eco-design guideline will in future provide specifications for recycling, packaging and other aspects of sustainable product design.

Stay up to date on consumer information and product recalls with our brand new consumer newsletter.

dpa/sthe

List of rubrics: © Michael Gstettenbauer/imago

Source: merkur

All life articles on 2023-02-28

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