French firm fined over €300,000 for ‘abusive’ sale calls
The company specialises in energy-efficiency renovation work
The firm, called H2R Energies, was sanctioned for abusive telemarketing calls
Sutthiphong Chandaeng/Shutterstock.
A French company in the Île-de-France region has been fined €376,080 for making abusive telemarketing calls.
H2R Energies, based in Issy-les-Moulineaux in the Hauts-de-Seine department, specialises in energy-efficiency renovation work.
It was sanctioned by the Department Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP) of Hauts-de-Seine, which carried out the investigation, for “soliciting consumers by telephone for the sale of equipment or the carrying out of work in the energy renovation sector, which is prohibited”, the prefecture of Hauts-de-Seine announced on May 12.
Additionally, it was found guilty of failing to inform consumers of their right to register on Bloctel, France’s official opt-out register for telephone marketing.
Under Article L. 223-2 of the Consumer Code, “all commercial prospecting of consumers by professionals, by telephone, for the purpose of selling equipment or carrying out work on housing with a view to achieving energy savings or the production of renewable energy is prohibited”.
This enforcement action follows a law adopted on June 30, due to take effect on August 11, under which telephone canvassing will be subject to a strict opt-in regime across most sectors, with certain exceptions such as existing customer relationships.
Bloctel will be discontinued when the new measure takes effect in August, shifting the current system from opt-out to opt-in, meaning consumers should only be contacted if they have given their explicit consent.
Thus, until the new rules come into force, cold calling may increase.
