France bans unsolicited telemarketing calls
France Enacts Sweeping Ban on Unsolicited Telemarketing, Sparking Industry Uproar
France has implemented a stringent ban on unsolicited telemarketing calls, a move hailed by consumer advocates as a significant victory for personal privacy and a “small revolution” for the sales industry. Effective from Tuesday, businesses across all sectors are prohibited from making such calls, with limited exceptions. Permitted calls are now strictly confined to those relating to an existing contract or where explicit prior consent for marketing purposes has been obtained from the individual.
Consumer advocacy group Que Choisir Ensemble lauded the legislation, stating, “It cannot be stressed enough that peace and quiet is a right, and it is time to stop exposing consumers to unwanted solicitations.” The group’s president, Marie-Amandine Stévenin, further commented that this sentiment extends beyond phone calls to online and street solicitations, emphasizing the need to end the “automatic assumption that someone in their home or private life is a potential customer.” This legislative shift is seen as a triumph for the vast majority of French citizens who express a strong aversion to receiving unsolicited sales calls.
However, the new regulations have ignited considerable opposition from business groups and have significant implications for countries like Morocco, where the call centre industry heavily relies on the French market. A Moroccan government minister estimated that these telemarketing restrictions could result in the loss of up to 50,000 jobs, according to reports in the Moroccan newspaper Le Matin. Frédéric Billon, head of France’s direct-selling trade association, the Fédération de la Vente Directe (FVD), criticised the reforms for imposing additional administrative burdens on businesses. He noted that companies will now be required to obtain and retain written proof of customer consent, a process detailed in reports by the New York Times.
The pervasive annoyance caused by telemarketing is underscored by a 2025 parliamentary report, which found that 97% of individuals in France are bothered by such calls, identifying it as a rare issue that unites the nation. The same report revealed that 72% of French people receive telemarketing calls on their mobile phones at least once a week, with 38% reporting daily contact. This regulatory action places France alongside countries such as Germany, Austria, and Italy, which already enforce substantial restrictions on cold calling. In the UK, telemarketing is generally permissible unless the recipient has explicitly objected or their number is registered on a “do not call” list.
