SHARE
COPY LINK

FINANCE

Denmark cracks down on ‘greedy’ payday loans

A broad parliamentary majority agreed on Thursday the terms of a bill which will tighten Denmark’s regulatory grip on payday loans.

Denmark cracks down on 'greedy' payday loans
Photo: Kristian Djurhuus/Ritzau Scanpix

The government along with its left wing parliamentary allies support the agreement, as do opposition parties Liberal, the Danish People’s Party and Ny Borgelige and the unaligned Alternative party.

The agreement aims to clamp down on payday loans which have left a significant number of younger Danes in debt, according to a press statement released on Thursday by the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs.

Under the new rules, limits will be set on the maximum annual cost of a consumer loan as well as on the maximum interest and fees payable on loans.

Additionally, commercials and other advertising of pay day loans will be more tightly regulated.

“I am very proud that we are now, for the first time, doing something about the pay day loans which have trapped many, particularly young and underprivileged people, in unmanageable debt,” business minister Simon Kollerup said in the press statement.

“It was high time. We have formed an agreement which protects Danish consumers. This agreement means that our regulation of this area is among the tightest in the EU,” Kollerup added.

Specifically, the new rules will ban all loans with an APR of more than 35 percent. Under current rules, loans with APRs as high as 800 percent exist on the market.

Companies offering loans with APRs higher than 25 percent will be banned from marketing them, meanwhile.

“Companies who behave decently towards their customers can look forward to a relatively easy transition to the new rules, while a number of those who have been the most greedy will have to change their business models. I am happy that parliament is in support of this plan,” Kollerup said.

The agreement also provides funding for counselling for people who find themselves in economic difficulty as a result of the loans, and increased lessons on managing personal economy will be given in schools.

READ ALSO: Can you really get paid for borrowing money in Denmark?

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

MONEY

REVEALED: Your money-saving tips for life in Denmark

Denmark is famously one of Europe's most expensive countries, so we asked our readers in the Nordic nation for their top Danish savings tips.

REVEALED: Your money-saving tips for life in Denmark

Denmark was named as the most expensive European Union country for basic goods and services in 2022, along with Ireland. Data from the EU’s statistics agency Eurostat showed that price levels in Denmark were 40 per cent higher than the EU average.

For consumer goods and services, Denmark had the highest prices of all EU member countries, coming in at 49 percent above the EU average.
 

As many as 90 percent of our readers surveyed said that Denmark is an expensive country to live in but had many money-saving tips to share.

 
“Use Earlybird for booking restaurants…the Tilbudsavis app to find discounts on groceries, buy coffee capsules online, never pay for electricity Aconto – settle only for actual consumption, get a prepaid phone plan from Lycamobile or Lebara as it’s best value for money,” 31-year old Ivan in Copenhagen suggested.
 

Cooking at home and avoiding eating out was a popular suggestion from many readers. They also recommended researching online before buying expensive products and to check discounts in supermarkets.

 
37-year old Magda based in Copenhagen said, “Use the minetilbud app so you can buy øko [organic, ed.] products for lower prices, buy discounted products in a larger amount and store them, buy good quality bread or øko meat/fish with a short expiration date and freeze it…grow your own vegetables, use the Too Good To Go app.”
 
Reader Kevin added, “I buy bulk goods when they are on sale and then freeze them for later.”
 
Money-saving tips also included using the commuter discount card Pendlerkort for public transport and car-sharing or renting a car instead of buying.
 
One reader said, “For public transportation, check company card options with your employer. For insurances, check your employer schemes and do your research online with comparison tools. For car insurance, consider joining a motorist association as they offer much cheaper car insurance plus other benefits. There is little sense in buying new or large cars as they are excessively expensive.”
 
 
For those with children, it was recommended to buy annual membership cards to zoos, museums and amusement parks if you will visit at least twice a year.
 
“Buy second hand stuff especially for babies and small children and check out libraries or cultural centres for events, especially for kids as they are often free,” one reader said.
 

Petra, from the Czech Republic and living in Aarhus said, “use second hand apps and shops, circular economy apps like Reshopper, or apps selling close to sell-by-date foods like Too Good To Go.”

 
There were several suggestions from our readers to travel out of Denmark to buy certain goods and services. 
 
“Travel to Malmö and do a huge shop there and buy goods in Germany or Sweden, while on trips,” Scott, aged 67 and living in Copenhagen advised.
 
32-year old Hanna, based in Copenhagen said she got all her beauty procedures done abroad.
 
“Find psychologists, teachers, and even personal trainers abroad. Buy vitamins and basic medications in German online pharmacies,” she added.
 
 
Some 92 percent (34 out of 37) of our readers in the survey said the expense of Denmark had changed the way they live, compared to other countries. Many noted how they don’t go out to eat and drink as much, or to the cinema or theatre. Others said a lot of their money went on bills and rent, leaving less to spend on leisure activities.
 
A much lower proportion, 38 percent said they would consider moving away from Denmark because of how expensive it is. 
 
Items people found particularly expensive in Denmark included rent, property, food, especially healthy food and sweets, alcohol, coffee shops, clothing, the price of spectacles, eating out, cinema and theatre, family trips out for example the zoo, museums, public transport and taxis, petrol, cars, dry cleaning, hairdressers, spa treatments, handyman services, and electricians.
 
The items our readers found cheaper in Denmark compared to other countries were education, healthcare, internet and mobiles, car insurance, long-distance bus journeys, bikes, some food (such as rye bread), clothing, houses outside of city centres and even real estate in Copenhagen relative to other European capitals.
 
SHOW COMMENTS