France's new consumer protection law will ban unsolicited telemarketing calls from August 11, requiring businesses to obtain prior consent before contacting consumers. For millions of people in France, the weekly barrage of unsolicited sales calls is finally set to end. Until now, people who wished to avoid marketing calls had to register their phone numbers on a government-run opt-out list. Authorities estimate that around three out of every four people in the country receive at least one unsolicited sales call each week, while many report being contacted even more frequently. Businesses found violating the new rules could face significant financial penalties as France strengthens its consumer protection regime against aggressive and fraudulent marketing practices.