What ÖKO-TEST AG does

ÖKO-TEST AG is a German stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, founded in 1985, that operates as the commercial and brand-marketing arm of the ÖKO-TEST consumer testing brand. The company generates revenue through three primary streams: print and online advertising sales (Anzeigen and Online Media), licensing of the ÖKO-TEST quality seal to manufacturers whose products have passed testing (Label-Lizenz), and holding/managed services for its core operating subsidiary ÖKO-TEST Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, which handles editorial publishing, the magazine, guides, yearbooks, and specials.

The company's product portfolio centers on the ÖKO-TEST brand: the flagship magazine (ÖKO-TEST Magazin), specialized guides (Ratgeber), annual yearbooks (Jahrbücher), the label licensing program (Label-Lizenz), a public verification tool (Test- und Lizenzcheck hosted at api.oeko.cloud), and marketing services including print and online media data (Mediadaten), sweepstakes (Gewinnspiele), coupon/discount campaigns (Gutscheine & Rabatte), and themed promotional features (Specials). The technology stack is standard web infrastructure (Google Analytics, CloudFlare) with no proprietary AI/ML capabilities disclosed. The Verlagsstruktur separates commercial activities (ÖKO-TEST AG) from editorial content (ÖKO-TEST Verlag GmbH & Co. KG), with the editorial site at oekotest.de and the commercial site at oekotest-ag.de.

The company serves two primary customer segments: business clients (advertisers placing in ÖKO-TEST media and brand licensees using the ÖKO-TEST seal) and consumers/readers of the magazine who participate in promotional contests. Distribution is Germany-focused, with direct sales for advertising and online form-based requests for label licensing. The company is publicly listed with an investor relations section referencing annual general meetings (Hauptversammlungen) and annual reports (Geschäftsberichte), and is led by a single-member Vorstand (Dr. Serge Schäfers) with a supervisory board chaired by Norbert Schüren.

Name

ÖKO-TEST AG

Legal name

ÖKO-TEST AG

Website

https://oekotest-ag.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ÖKO-TEST AG is a Frankfurt-based public German stock corporation that commercializes the ÖKO-TEST consumer testing brand through print and online advertising sales, label licensing for tested products, and holding functions for its publishing subsidiary ÖKO-TEST Verlag GmbH & Co. KG.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt am Main

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising (Anzeigen): Revenue from advertising placements across ÖKO-TEST print magazine and online media platforms.
2. Online Media: Revenue from online advertising and media services on the ÖKO-TEST digital platforms.
3. Label Licensing (Lizenzen): Revenue from licensing the ÖKO-TEST brand label to companies whose products have been tested and approved. Companies can request label licenses through the company's website for their tested products.
4. Holding Functions: The company performs holding functions for ÖKO-TEST Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, suggesting revenue may also come from holding/management activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ÖKO-TEST AG is the commercial and brand marketing arm of the ÖKO-TEST brand, responsible for monetizing advertising (print and online), managing label licensing for tested products, and providing holding functions for ÖKO-TEST Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. The company sells advertising space in the ÖKO-TEST magazine, Ratgeber, Jahrbücher, and online media platforms, and licenses the ÖKO-TEST quality seal to manufacturers whose products have passed testing. It also operates promotional services including sweepstakes, coupon campaigns, and themed specials in partnership with sustainable brands.

Product overview

ÖKO-TEST AG operates a publishing and licensing business centered on the ÖKO-TEST brand. The core product portfolio consists of the ÖKO-TEST Magazin (magazine), ÖKO-TEST Ratgeber (guides), and ÖKO-TEST Jahrbücher (yearbooks), which publish consumer product tests and sustainability editorial content. The company also manages the Label-Lizenz program for product licensing, the ÖKO-TEST Test- und Lizenzcheck for license verification, and Mediadaten services for advertising sales. Supporting marketing services include Gewinnspiele (contests), Gutscheine & Rabatte (coupon campaigns), and Specials promotional features. Together these offerings form a consumer media and brand licensing platform focused on ecological product testing and sustainable consumption.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ÖKO-TEST Magazin Flagship consumer testing magazine featuring comprehensive product testing across various consumer categories with editorial content on ecology and sustainability.
• ÖKO-TEST Ratgeber Specialized guide publications providing consumer advice and test results on specific product categories.
• ÖKO-TEST Jahrbücher Annual compilation books aggregating the year's product tests and consumer recommendations.
• Label-Lizenz (ÖKO-TEST Label License) Licensing program allowing manufacturers to display the ÖKO-TEST quality seal on products that have passed testing.
• ÖKO-TEST Test- und Lizenzcheck Public verification tool allowing consumers and businesses to check test results and validate label licenses.
• Mediadaten Print & Online Media data services providing advertising specifications, rates, and placement options for print and digital ÖKO-TEST publications.
• Gewinnspiele (Contests/Promotions) Sweepstakes and promotional campaigns conducted in partnership with sustainable brands, offering prizes such as sustainable products and gift certificates.
• Gutscheine & Rabatte (Coupons & Discounts) Discount campaigns and voucher offerings from partner brands in the sustainability and eco-friendly product space.
• Specials Special themed promotional campaigns and editorial features covering specific sustainability topics or partner collaborations.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ÖKO-TEST Verlag GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerÖKO-TEST AG serves as the holding company for ÖKO-TEST Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, managing brand marketing, advertising, and licensing while the publishing company handles editorial content and magazine publishing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company. Comparable as a globally scaled player in independent product testing and certification label programs.
• Intertek: Global TIC provider offering product testing, certification, and assurance services. Comparable as a peer in monetizing third-party product verification through certification marks.
• TÜV Rheinland: Major German TIC incumbent offering product testing and certification services. Comparable as an established German testing brand that licenses marks to manufacturers, similar in mechanism to ÖKO-TEST's label program.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC company providing testing, inspection, and certification services across consumer goods, commodities, and infrastructure. Comparable as a globally scaled peer in independent product verification and certification mark licensing.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) company headquartered in Germany. Comparable as a brand that monetizes independent product/certification testing across multiple consumer and industrial categories.
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories): Global safety science organization providing testing, certification, and verification services. Comparable as a peer operating a certification-mark licensing model similar to ÖKO-TEST's label program.

Emerging players

• Vergleich.org: German product comparison portal monetizing consumer research intent through affiliate and advertising revenue. Comparable as a digitally native competitor targeting the same German consumer decision-making journey.

Direct peers

• Der Blaue Engel: Germany's federal eco-label, a direct competitor in the consumer-facing sustainability certification space. Both sell third-party environmental endorsement marks to manufacturers marketing to German consumers.
• Eco Institut: Germany-based testing and certification body focused on building products, textiles, and consumer goods. Comparable as a peer operating independent product testing and certification mark issuance in the German market.
• Stiftung Warentest: German consumer product testing organization publishing test.de, the closest direct competitor to ÖKO-TEST's magazine and rating model. Both target German consumers with comparative product reviews and ratings across similar categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%C3%B6ko-test-ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ÖKO-TEST AG