France enacts ban on unsolicited telemarketing calls

France has officially banned unsolicited telemarketing calls, marking a significant shift in consumer protection regulations. Effective from Tuesday, businesses across all sectors are now prohibited from contacting individuals without prior consent.

This new legislation permits telemarketing calls only in specific circumstances. These include calls related to an existing contract a consumer has already entered into or when the company has obtained explicit prior consent for marketing purposes. Consumer advocacy group Que Choisir Ensemble hailed the ban as a “small revolution,” emphasizing that peace and quiet are fundamental rights.

The group’s president, Marie-Amandine Stévenin, stated that the ban addresses the pervasive issue of unwanted solicitations, both by phone and increasingly online and in public spaces. She highlighted the group’s long-standing advocacy to end the automatic assumption that individuals in their private lives are potential customers, calling the ban a “victory for consumers.”

However, the new law has drawn criticism from some business groups and officials, particularly in Morocco, where the call centre industry has strong ties to the French market. Reports suggest potential job losses, with one government minister estimating up to 50,000 jobs could be affected. Representatives from France’s direct-selling association also expressed concerns about the added administrative burdens for businesses, such as the requirement to obtain and retain written proof of customer consent.

Data from a 2025 parliamentary report indicated widespread public annoyance with telemarketing, with 97% of people surveyed expressing negative sentiments. The report also revealed that a significant portion of French citizens receive frequent telemarketing calls, with 72% reporting at least one call per week and 38% receiving daily calls.

France joins other European nations like Germany, Austria, and Italy in imposing substantial restrictions on cold calling. The UK has its own regulations, generally permitting telemarketing as long as recipients haven’t objected or registered on a do-not-call list.

Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/362709/france-bans-unsolicited-telemarketing-calls