€900,000 fine for French energy supplier

French energy supplier Engie has been fined nearly €900,000 after being found guilty of breaching rules on canvassing customers.

The Direction générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des fraudes (DGCCRF) said that, "Energy supply contracts have been concluded without confirmation of the offer made by telephone solicitation having been sent to the consumer on a durable medium", such as a letter or email."

Engie, which supplies both gas and electricity, was also sanctioned for ignoring customers' right to withdraw from contracts 'on several occasions', and failing to comply with the obligation to notify dissatisfied customers about the Energy Ombudsman in case of disputes.

The latest fine followed followed an investigation between June 2017 and February 2019, after several complaints from consumers in the Hauts-de-Seine.

Engie had already been ordered on appeal in March to pay €1million in damages for its customer solicitation practices, after rival EDF accused it of aggressively soliciting customers.

In 2017, it was fined €100million by the French Competition Authority for abuse of its dominant market position, due to the use of the customer file inherited from its former monopoly to market its market offers.