How can I contact the DGCCRF (Directorate General for Consumer Affairs, Competition and Fraud Prevention)?

Verified 18 August 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Do you have a problem with a company that does not respect consumer rights? You can contact the Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention Directorate (DGCCRF).

The DGCCRF is a department of the Ministry of Economy.

This service is responsible for ensuring that companies comply with consumer law. For example:

  • Ensuring customers’ right to terminate
  • Prohibition of false advertising and false discounts
  • Obligation to label goods
  • Sincerity of labeling (list and origin of ingredients, place of manufacture, etc.)

The DGCCRF can first investigate, following a report or not, to check whether a company has practices that comply with the law or not.

In the course of these investigations, DGCCRF officers can obtain information from public services and judicial police officers.

In addition, officers of the DGCCRF are also empowered to identify and stop breaches of the law. Thus, they may order the professionals concerned to comply with their obligations, to cease all acts unlawful or to remove any unlawful or prohibited clause. If necessary, a period may be granted to the professionals concerned.

Finally, the DGCCRF can impose sanctions on professionals who do not respect the law or who do not comply with its injunctions.

As a consumer, you can report to the DGCCRF a problem of non-compliance with consumer law that you identify in a shop, on a website or in a company.

To report, you can use the following online service:

Conso Signal: Report a Problem with a Merchant

But you have to know that the DGCCRF does not settle disputes relating to the non-performance or improper performance of a contract (works, services, subscriptions, deliveries, etc.).

If you have this type of dispute, you must try to resolve it amicably with the professional concerned or with the consumer ombudsman.

If the breaches you want to report require CFRB officers to travel to the company, you can request an investigation.

To initiate a DGCCRF investigation, you must contact the Departmental Population Protection Directorate (DDPP) of the department where the targeted company is located.

You must make this request either by mail or by post.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the DGCCRF may impose a financial penalty for the controlled company, but it cannot oblige the company to compensate you.

If you wish to claim compensation, you must complain or enter a civil court.