Recital 33

(33) Specific provisions should be laid down on advertising of credit agreements and on certain items of standard information to be provided to consumers in order to enable them, in particular, to compare different offers. Such standard information should be given in a clear, concise and prominent way by means of a representative example. The total amount of the credit and the repayment duration chosen by the creditor for such a representative example should correspond as much as possible to the characteristics of the credit agreement that the creditor advertises. The standard information should be shown upfront and saliently, in a clear way and in an engaging format. It should be clearly legible and adapted to take into account the technical constraints of certain media such as mobile telephone screens. On digital channels, part of the standard information in the representative example could be provided by means of clicking, scrolling or swiping. However, before accessing credit offers, consumers should be presented with all standard information to be included in advertising concerning credit agreements even in the case of clicking, scrolling or swiping. The standard information should also be clearly demarcated from any additional information pertained to the credit agreement. Temporary promotional conditions, such as a ‘teaser’ rate with a lower borrowing rate for the initial months of the credit agreement, should be clearly identified as such. Consumers should be able to see all essential information at a glance, even when they watch it on the screen of a mobile telephone. The creditor’s and, where applicable, credit intermediary’s telephone number and email address should also be communicated to the consumer to enable him or her to contact the creditor or the credit intermediary quickly and efficiently. A ceiling should be provided where it is not possible to indicate the total amount of credit as the total sums made available, in particular where a credit agreement gives the consumer freedom of drawdown with a limitation with regard to the amount. The ceiling should indicate the upper limit of credit which can be made available to the consumer. In specific and justified cases, in order to improve consumer understanding of information disclosed in advertising of credit agreements where the medium used does not allow that information to be visually displayed, such as in radio advertising, the amount of information disclosed should be reduced. In addition, Member States should remain free to regulate information requirements in their national law regarding advertising of credit agreements which does not contain information on the cost of credit. In order to reduce instances of mis-selling of credit to consumers who are not able to afford it and to promote sustainable lending, advertising of credit agreements should contain, in all cases, a clear and prominent warning to make consumers aware that borrowing money costs money. In order to ensure a higher level of consumer protection, certain advertisements, such as those encouraging consumers to seek credit by suggesting that credit would improve their financial situation or specifying that registered credit in databases have little or no influence on the assessment of a credit application, should be prohibited. Member States should also be allowed to prohibit advertisements that they deem to be risky for consumers, such as those that highlight the ease or speed with which credit can be obtained.

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Source: EUR-Lex CELLAR · retrieved 2026-07-30 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.