The scourge of cold calling could finally be history. A bill examined this Thursday, November 14 plans to revolutionize current practices by requiring companies to obtain prior consent from consumers before any sales call.
This initiative, supported by the group The Independents in the Senate, aims to respond to the growing exasperation of the French in the face of these untimely requests.
Telephone canvassing: a daily problem
The figures speak for themselves: according to a survey carried out in 2023 by UFC-Que Choisir, nearly three in four French people receive these calls at least once a week on their mobile phone.
This situation persists despite an already significant regulatory arsenal. Indeed, the current framework imposes strict time restrictions – calls are only authorized on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. then 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. – and limits the number of monthly calls from the same direct seller to a consumer to four.
The Bloctel system, supposed to be the miracle solution, is today showing its limits. With only 12 million numbers registered, or barely 10% of French telephone lines, its impact remains marginal. Even more worrying, many registrants report continuing to receive unwanted calls. A situation confirmed by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression (DGCCRF).
A “mass of rogue behavior”
The controls carried out by the DGCCRF in 2023 paint an alarming picture: out of 5,300 inspections, 60% of companies did not comply with the regulations. Despite the imposition of 198 fines for a total amount of 4.4 million euros, the authorities are struggling to stem the phenomenon. The difficulty is all the greater as many principals are established abroad, which makes prosecutions complex, if not impossible.
Pierre-Jean Verzelen, senator and author of the bill, points to a “mass of thuggish behavior” in the face of which the DGCCRF’s investigative resources appear derisory. The spoofing of numbers and the internationalization of call centers considerably complicate the traceability and repression of offenses.
The proposal to establish a system ofopt-inwhere the consumer would have to explicitly consent to receiving commercial calls, nevertheless raises economic concerns.
According to DGCCRF estimates, between 29,000 and 40,000 jobs depend on telephone canvassing in France. Senator Verzelen puts these figures into perspective in the columns of West France. He emphasizes that “the business collapsed” and that “canvassing is enormously outsourced in other European and Maghreb countries”.
- Senators tabled a bill aimed at putting an end to cold calling by imposing mandatory consumer consent
- Current systems, including Bloctel, prove insufficient with 60% of companies in violation during inspections
- The economic stakes are high with 29,000 to 40,000 jobs threatened, mainly abroad
