Bad week for Free. The French telecom operator has been convicted twice by the courts for deceptive commercial practices.
Free condemned for refunds that are too late
Between August 2020 and January 2022, Free canceled cell phone orders without reimbursing consumers within the legal period of 14 days, as required by the Consumer Code. The General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) investigated these practices and decided to impose a fine of 2.2 million euros to the French telecom operator. The gendarme also asked Free to modify its general conditions of sale, in notably removing one of its clauses which until then allowed it to offset the amounts owed to its customers against possible debts.
The sanction, validated by the Paris prosecutor's office, was accompanied by a commitment from Free to cease these practices. According to the DGCCRF, these dysfunctions violated the fundamental rights of consumers, fueling distrust towards the company. The operator did not wish to react to his sanction.
Advertising on a not-so-5G network
A few days before that, on November 28, 2024, Free was also ordered to pay 15,000 euros in damages to the Familles Rurales association for misleading advertising concerning its 5G package offer. The Paris Court of Appeal ruled that the operator's communications exaggerated the actual coverage of its network, suggesting wider availability than it actually was.
Familles Rurales, which defended injured consumers, welcomed this conviction as a strong signal to guarantee better corporate transparency. The association recalled that consumers must be able to make their choices with full knowledge of the facts, based on reliable information.
