Right of firms to cold call homes in France under debate

The French Senate is set to debate a bill that could ban telephone marketing to consumers unless they opt in to it, in the latest measure aiming to reduce nuisance calls. 

The debate is set to take place today (Thursday, November 14). 

Currently, marketing professionals generally have the right to contact members of the public, under the presumption of consent, unless the recipient explicitly opts out and asks not to be contacted. 

However, a poll from October 2024 found that 97% of people in France are opposed to the current system, are fed up with it, and want it to stop, said Nadia Ziane, director of consumer affairs at the Familles rurales association, speaking to BFM-RMC.

The new law would flip the system, and make it so that people who have not actively agreed to marketing could not be contacted. The presumption would be of non-acceptance, rather than the current system of presumed consent, she said.

“The law could change everything, in that we could go from presumed consent to presumed non-consent,” she said.

Ms Ziane said that the existing systems put in place to reduce and limit marketing calls - including the Bloctel list and strict rules and hours on phone calls - had “not really” changed anything.

Read also: Explainer: When and by whom can you be cold-called in France?
Read also: France’s anti-nuisance calls service Bloctel breaks down 

“Bloctel does not work, clearly,” she said. On the subject of strict calling hours, she said: “In reality, really, when you say that you don’t want to receive calls, and the reply is, oh don’t worry, we will only disturb you between the hours of 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 and 20:00, is that really acceptable? When 97% of people tell us they don’t want these calls at all anymore?” 

“What we’re saying at the association is that MPs are supposed to represent us. And when 97% of people tell them, we can’t do this anymore, it is high time to take action,” she said. “And we’re not asking for the Moon. It’s just about consent.”

Update: The French Senate has now voted in favour of the bill. It must also be voted by the Assemblée nationale to become effective.

Read also: ‘Just speak English’: readers’ tips on tackling cold calls in France 
Read also: Four ways to stop cold calls to your French telephone number
Read more: Tips to avoid cold calls in France - and what to say if you get one

Do you get many marketing calls in France? Have you tried to stop them? How do you deal with it? Let us know at feedback@connexionfrance.com.