Each of Germany’s 16 states has a Verbraucherzentrale, a consumer advice center. Together they run about 200 local advice offices. They describe themselves as unabhängige, überwiegend öffentlich finanzierte, gemeinnützige Organisationen, independent, mainly publicly funded, non-profit organizations.
In its annual report for 2010, the center in Baden-Württemberg called its advice anbieterunabhängig, independent of any provider. One case in the report is a couple of doctors from Tübingen who came for advice on financing. They wanted to be advised independently. Die beiden möchten sich unabhängig beraten lassen.