France Bans Unsolicited Marketing Calls, a Move Consumer Group Calls a 'Small Revolution'

The ban took effect on August 11 for businesses in all sectors, with some exceptions. Calls will only be permitted if they relate to a contract the person is already party to, or if the company has obtained prior consent to communicate for marketing purposes. The consumer rights advocacy group Que Choisir Ensemble said in a statement, "We cannot stress enough that peace and quiet is a right.

It was time to stop subjecting consumers to unwanted solicitations. The group's president, Marie-Amandine Stévenin, added, "This finding also applies to the online environment and streets overflowing with consumption demands. Stévenin said the group has long advocated for ending "the automatic assumption that a person at home or in their private life is a potential customer": This is a victory for the vast majority of consumers who do not want to receive sales calls. However, the legal change has drawn backlash from some business groups and authorities in Morocco, whose call center sector is largely dependent on the French market.