Describing a product as ergonomic is an advertising claim with no defined test basis. Unlike health-related claims about foods, there is no set of rules that defines what evidence must exist before the term may be used.
A term without a test threshold
The term ergonomic is widely used in product communication, from office chairs to surgical instruments. There is no binding definition of when it applies.
A search of the decisions of the Wettbewerbszentrale (the German Center for Protection against Unfair Competition) in August 2026 found no hits on ergonomics advertising claims, whereas numerous decisions exist on the keyword health. The claim is not legally unrestricted for that reason: Section 5 of the German Act against Unfair Competition (UWG) prohibits misleading statements about essential characteristics of a product, such as its advantages, nature, or fitness for purpose.
What follows for manufacturers
For reputable manufacturers, this is a disadvantage, not an advantage: If anyone may claim ergonomic, the claim loses its value as a differentiator. Competition is then conducted over an assertion that requires no verification.
The alternative is to make the claim verifiable: which method was used to measure, which user group was the design based on, which percentiles were covered, which comparison was drawn. Such a statement can be checked and is therefore robust.
Typical weaknesses in practice
- Claim without a reference point. The product is called ergonomic, without stating for which users and in comparison with what.
- Evidence after the campaign. The claim appears in the brochure before a study exists that supports it.
- Advertising goes beyond the documentation. Marketing and development work separately, and the advertising claim promises more than the technical documentation substantiates.
- A small study as the basis. The claim rests on a few people who do not represent the intended users.
Special case: medical devices
For medical devices, the situation is different. Article 7 of the MDR (Regulation (EU) 2017/745, the EU Medical Device Regulation) prohibits statements in labeling, instructions for use, and promotion of devices that may mislead users or patients with regard to intended purpose, safety, and performance, for example by ascribing properties to the device that it does not have. In Germany, advertising for medical devices is additionally subject to the Medicinal Products Advertising Act (German: Heilmittelwerbegesetz, HWG), which prohibits misleading advertising (Section 3 HWG).
In practice, this means: An ergonomics claim about a medical device must be provable, in advertising as well as in the instructions for use. An unsubstantiated claim can become a conformity problem.
"Ergonomic" as an advertising claim is neither bindingly defined nor tied to evidence and thus loses its value as a differentiator. The claim becomes robust only when the measurement method, user group, covered percentiles, and comparison are stated. For medical devices, Article 7 of the MDR prohibits misleading statements in advertising as well, not only in labeling and instructions for use.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is the term ergonomic legally protected?
No. There is no binding definition and no defined test threshold above which a product may be called ergonomic. A search of the decisions of the Wettbewerbszentrale in August 2026 found no hits on ergonomics advertising claims. The claim must still not be misleading: Section 5 UWG prohibits misleading statements about essential characteristics of a product.
How can an ergonomics claim be made verifiable?
By stating which method was used to measure, which user group the design was based on, which percentiles are covered, and which comparison was drawn. A claim made this specific can be checked.
What applies to ergonomics claims for medical devices?
For medical devices, Article 7 of the MDR prohibits misleading statements in labeling, instructions for use, and promotion. An ergonomics claim that ascribes properties to the product that it does not have can therefore become a conformity problem in advertising as well.
Which legal bases apply to ergonomics claims?
In general, Section 5 UWG prohibits misleading statements about essential characteristics of a product in Germany. For medical devices, Article 7 of the MDR and, in Germany, Section 3 of the Medicinal Products Advertising Act apply in addition, prohibiting misleading statements in advertising as well.
Do you want to make the ergonomic quality of your product not just plausible but demonstrable? We combine measurement data, expert assessment, and medical interpretation into an objective ergonomics analysis.
More about our ergonomic analysisSources
- Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices (MDR)
- German Act against Unfair Competition (UWG), German text
- German Act on Advertising in the Field of Healthcare (HWG), German text
Related terms
- Usability
- Labeling
- Instructions for use (IFU)
- Ergonomics