The DGCCRF (Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes) is France's primary GPSR enforcement authority for consumer products. Since December 13, 2024, the DGCCRF has integrated GPSR requirements into its existing market surveillance programme — which already conducts thousands of inspections per year across physical and online retail.
How the DGCCRF conducts GPSR inspections
The DGCCRF operates a two-track enforcement model:
Online sweeps (enquêtes en ligne): DGCCRF agents systematically review product listings on French ecommerce sites and French-language marketplace pages. These sweeps are often triggered by sector-level directives — for example, the DGCCRF ran a targeted inspection of electrical appliance sellers in early 2025, and a separate sweep of toy sellers ahead of the Christmas season.
Physical inspections: When an online sweep identifies a systemic issue, the DGCCRF may escalate to a full inspection visit. These typically cover the complete product range, not just the items initially flagged.
The DGCCRF also operates a consumer complaint portal (SignalConso) through which members of the public can report non-compliant product listings. SignalConso complaints are a common trigger for targeted inspections of individual sellers.
What French authorities are specifically targeting
Based on published enforcement decisions and DGCCRF sector reports, the most common GPSR violations found in France are:
- Missing or inadequate manufacturer identification. French law requires the manufacturer's name and address to appear on product pages. Sellers frequently provide brand names without a legal entity name or a registered address.
- Safety information in French. GPSR requires safety warnings in the official language(s) of the country of sale. For France, this means French-language warnings — English-only safety text is a direct violation, even for products primarily marketed internationally.
- Inadequate withdrawal right disclosure. EU consumer law (reinforced by GPSR's legal context) requires the 14-day right of withdrawal to be clearly explained before the consumer completes purchase. Sellers who bury this in terms and conditions without a prominent pre-purchase notice are routinely flagged.
- Missing EU Responsible Person for non-EU brands. French enforcement has specifically targeted Chinese-manufactured goods sold directly to French consumers through European logistics hubs. These often lack any EU Responsible Person disclosure.
Fines and penalties in France
The DGCCRF can impose administrative fines under France's consumer code. For GPSR violations:
- Fines up to €25,000 per violation for individuals
- Fines up to €75,000 per violation for legal entities (companies)
- Public naming of non-compliant sellers on the DGCCRF's published enforcement decisions
- Court injunctions ordering products to be withdrawn from the French market
For serious or repeated violations, the DGCCRF can refer cases to the public prosecutor, which can result in criminal liability with fines up to €300,000 and imprisonment for responsible individuals.
Cross-border enforcement: France + Germany coordination
France and Germany have the most active GPSR enforcement programmes in the EU, and their authorities actively coordinate. A seller flagged by the Bundesnetzagentur for a GPSR violation may find that the DGCCRF initiates its own parallel investigation — particularly for marketplace sellers active on both Amazon.de and Amazon.fr.
This cross-border coordination is managed through RAPEX (the EU product safety rapid alert system) and the MSCA (Market Surveillance Coordination Activities) network. A non-compliant product reported to RAPEX by one member state is automatically reviewed by all others.
What to prioritise for France specifically
If France is a significant market for your store, the following actions are highest priority:
- Translate all safety warnings into French (not just general pages — each product's specific warnings)
- Ensure the right of withdrawal is clearly displayed on product pages and during checkout, not only in terms and conditions
- Verify your company's legal name and registered address match exactly between product pages, footer, and the official Kbis (French commercial register) or equivalent registration document
- If manufacturing in China or another non-EU country, appoint an EU Responsible Person and display their details on French-language product pages
Scan your store now to see which GPSR requirements are missing for your French-language pages.