France cracks down on junk mail

Millions of people regularly receive unsolicited printed advertising every week across France - even those who clearly indicate they do not want it - and now the government has decided to crack down on unwanted material in householders' mail boxes.

French households receive an average of 40kg of advertising leaflets each year.

Since the beginning of January fines for companies that ignore householders' Stop! Pub notices have risen from from €450 to €1,500 - rising further to €3,000 in the case of repeat offences.

The law also targeted misleading advertising content. It is now forbidden "in an advertisement, to give the impression, by means of nationally coordinated promotional operations, that the consumer benefits from a price reduction comparable to that of sales outside their stated legal period'.

Two other measures also entered into force on January 1, 2021: a ban on placing advertisements on vehicle windscreens and the ban on distributing unsolicited gifts for commercial purposes in letter boxes.

To indicate that you do not want unsolicited mail put in your postbox, you can pick up a Stop Pub sticker from your local mairie or prefecture's office. You can also download them for free from the Stop Pub site and print them at home, or order one to be delivered, for a small fee.