France to introduce a complete ban on unsolicited marketing calls
Kyiv • UNN
A law that completely bans unsolicited marketing calls without consumers’ prior consent will come into force in France next week. This is a response to years of complaints, as around three-quarters of the population receive such calls every week.
France will ban unwanted marketing calls next week under a new law aimed at protecting consumers from intrusive commercial offers and vulnerable people from fraudulent activities. The Associated Press reports, UNN writes.
Details
The law, backed by the government of President Emmanuel Macron, comes into force on August 11.
While several countries have introduced opt-out systems for marketing calls, France hopes that stricter mandatory prior-consent rules will be more effective.
Additional information
Previously in France, people who wanted to avoid marketing calls had to register their number with a government service, but consumer organizations said that some call centers ignored the list.
"Companies are now prohibited from contacting consumers without their prior consent," said Alice Wilko, chief of staff at the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control. "This consent can be withdrawn at any time."
The government says the law is a response to years of consumer complaints. Authorities estimate that around three-quarters of people in France receive at least one unwanted marketing call every week, and many receive even more.
In 2024, 11 consumer protection organizations issued a joint call to ban such calls, condemning the "relentless harassment of consumers through countless unwanted marketing calls to both landlines and mobile phones—an intrusion that has become a regular part of their daily lives."
Parliament passed the law last year.