Primarily because of rising energy costs and climate protection issues, public interest in information on energy efficiency is constantly growing.

1. Consumer education

• Consumers can obtain German Energy Agency (dena) subject brochures from every participating department (Multimedia, White Goods, Lighting).
• Prominent positioning of A1 campaign posters to inform/orient consumers in the participating departments.
• A competition to support the campaign (Karstadt offers attractive energy-saving equipment as a prize).
• A presence on the internet at www.stromeffizienz.de.
• Information on the campaign in the form of electrical/multimedia advertising leaflets issued around the time of action weeks (each print run of approximately 7 million copies as an insert in a daily paper).
• Advice days with regional partners of the German Energy Agency and/or the Munich Building Centre in many Karstadt stores.
• Press releases on the campaign:
  - in regional media by Karstadt Warenhaus stores
  - in the national press by the German Energy Agency/Karstadt Head Office
• Additional information flyers
• Replacement campaign/Discounting of energy-saving bulbs

2. Staff training

The appropriate staff training is organised in order raise the awareness of personnel and train staff to provide consumers with expert information and/or to be able to advise them professionally. Trade brochures entitled "Tips for Retailers" as well as a special training document on energy-saving bulbs are used for this purpose.
The "Consumer education" and "Staff training" measures were accredited by the German branch of UNESCO as an official project within the framework of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development for 2007/2008.

The project is targeted in terms of sustainability: Transferring good practice in the main, improving public awareness, reinforcing cooperation. Previous successes may send out a signal to other retailers.
Since September 2008, in collaboration with Naturwatt GmbH, Karstadt has been supplying green electricity from 100 % renewable energy sources.

It has been such a success that the campaign will continue into 2009.

Other areas

2006: Intensification of the campaign in the white goods and lighting departments in 91 stores and also in the multimedia department in 54 stores.

Launch event on 10.11.2006 in the Karstadt Berlin Hermannplatz store attended by the Secretary of State from the Federal Ministry for Economics Dr. Joachim Wuermeling and the actress Barbara Schöne.

Launch events on 03.03.2007 at the Frankfurt-Zeil store attended by the Secretary of State Astrid Klug from the Federal Environment Ministry and on 10.09.2007 at the Munich, Am Bahnhof store, attended by Dr. Werner Schnappauf, at that time the Bavarian Minister of State for the Environment, Health and Consumer Protection.

Kiel store launch on 08.09.2008 attended by Dr. Christian von Boetticher Minister of Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Areas.