Sweepstakes, Contests, and Giveaway Laws in France

Prize competitions in France: how to organise them and current regulations

In France, companies can run prize competition, both prize draws and skill-based contests, even without a local registered office, provided they comply with the rules set out in the Code de la Consommation. These regulations define the core requirements for creating and running promotional campaigns, as well as the administrative procedures to follow.

Prizes, regulations and language: the essentials of running a competition in France

Companies are required to provide clear information about the promotional campaign, including full details on how to participate, and must explicitly state the number and value of the prizes on offer.

The competition rules must be filed with the territorially competent Huissier de Justice (bailiff) to ensure legal compliance. It is also mandatory to use the French language in all communications; any expression in another language must be accompanied by a literal French translation.

👉 Did you know? Purchase-linked competitions are permitted in France too, following the May 2011 reform that implemented EU Directive 2005/29/EC.

Companies looking to promote products or services in France can benefit from our consultancy to organise:

• Prize promotions
• Prize competitions
• Loyalty programmes
• Trade incentive schemes

Our end-to-end services for managing prize competitions in France include:

• Preliminary feasibility analysis
• Consultancy on promotional mechanics in compliance with French prize competition regulations
• Management of filings with the relevant authorities
• Review of communication materials against legal requirements
• Tax consultancy related to the promotion
• Privacy and data protection consultancy