DGCCRF 2026: new control rules for dropshippers and e-commerce sellers
Cabinet Hayot Expertise in Paris explains DGCCRF 2026 controls on dropshipping and e-commerce: price transparency, mentions, real delays, fake scarcity. Sanctions and compliance.
Expert note: This article was written by our chartered accountancy firm. Information is current as of 2026. For a personalised review of your situation, contact us.
In 2025-2026, DGCCRF controls intensify markedly on online stores. Earlier national investigations (notably the 2019 DGCCRF national investigation service inquiry on 12 dropshipping professionals) had already concluded with 8 criminal proceedings and individual fines ranging from EUR15,000 to EUR80,000. The 2026 context cumulates three aggravating factors: full application of the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) entered into force in December 2024, full application of the Digital Services Act (DSA) on very large platforms, and tightening of tax rules (DAC7).
Cabinet Hayot Expertise in Paris explains the applicable legal framework, the most frequent sanction motives and our 8-point compliance method to bring your store up to standards in under 30 days.
DGCCRF legal framework applicable to dropshipping and e-commerce#
The DGCCRF (Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes) is the administration enforcing the French consumer code. Its scope covers:
- Pre-contractual information: incl.-VAT prices, shipping fees, real delays (art. L221-5 Code conso)
- Mandatory T&Cs: seller identity, payment terms, withdrawal right, warranty (art. L221-15 and following)
- Misleading commercial practices: fake scarcity, misleading struck-through prices, false promotions (art. L121-1 and following)
- 14-day withdrawal right (art. L221-18 and following)
- Consumer mediation: mandatory mediator to mention (art. L612-1)
- Country of origin: if confusion possible (Made in EU vs CN), mandatory mention
Any online store selling to a French consumer — even hosted abroad — is subject to DGCCRF.
The 6 most frequent sanction motives in 2025-2026#
1. Hidden or misleading delivery times#
#1 motive in dropshipping. Announcing "3-5 working days" on the product page when the real delay is 20 days (CN → FR via AliExpress) = misleading commercial practice, almost systematic sanction. Typical sanction: EUR3,000-7,500 + obligation to modify within 15 days.
2. Fake scarcity ("only 2 left in stock!")#
Artificial counters, "imminent stockout" without product reality. Sanction art. L121-2: 2 years imprisonment + EUR300,000 for serious cases. In practice: administrative fine EUR1,500-7,500.
3. Misleading struck-through prices#
Displaying EUR99 with a struck-through EUR199 when the product was never sold at EUR199. Massive practice in TikTok Ads dropshipping. Sanction: fine + 7-day removal obligation. Cabinet Hayot Expertise recommends "reference price" mention calculated per DGCCRF (lowest price practiced last 30 days).
4. Country of origin omitted#
For a product made in China and sold via a French brand "made by [brand]", mandatory country of origin mention if confusion possible. Typical sanction: EUR3,000 + obligation to modify product pages.
5. Legal warranty absent or vague#
Every B2C product benefits from the legal conformity warranty (2 years, art. L217-3 Code conso). Mandatory mention. Commercial warranty (if offered) must be distinct. Omission = sanction.
6. Non-compliant or absent T&Cs#
T&Cs generated by ChatGPT without legal validation = frequent sanction motive. T&Cs must include: seller identity, RCS, share capital, intra-community VAT, incl.-VAT prices, payment terms, withdrawal right, warranty, mediation, jurisdiction. Cabinet Hayot Expertise provides a validated T&C template.
Sanctions incurred — 2026 indicative scale#
| Breach | Administrative fine | Possible criminal sanction |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory mention absent (T&Cs) | EUR7,500 (legal entity) | — |
| Pre-contractual information missing | EUR3,000 per information | — |
| Misleading commercial practice (art. L132-2) | EUR1,500-15,000 (individual) | 2 years imprisonment + EUR300,000 (individual); EUR1,500,000 (legal entity) |
| False promotion / misleading struck price | EUR1,500-7,500 | up to EUR1,500,000 for legal entity |
| Misleading delivery delay | EUR3,000-7,500 | 2 years + EUR300,000 in case of repeat offence |
| Serious GPSR violation (product safety) | up to 4% of annual worldwide revenue + product withdrawal/recall | up to 5-year operating ban for legal entity |
| DSA violation (very large platforms) | up to 6% of annual worldwide revenue | n/a (administrative European Commission sanctions) |
Accessory sanctions:
- Shopify account block (immediate suspension on DGCCRF report)
- Stripe Pay suspension (on DGCCRF request in case of massive chargebacks)
- Listing on DGCCRF register of sanctioned practices (SEO reputation impact)
The Cabinet Hayot Expertise compliance method — 8-point audit#
Cabinet Hayot Expertise in Paris audits your store on 8 points covering 100% of DGCCRF risks:
- T&Cs: art. L221-15 and following compliance, validated Hayot Expertise template
- Legal mentions: identity, RCS, capital, VAT, host (art. 6 LCEN)
- Struck-through price: DGCCRF reference price compliance (last 30 days)
- Delivery times: transparent display of real delay, not in fine print
- Withdrawal right: accessible and functional withdrawal form
- Legal warranty: systematic mention, distinct from commercial warranty
- Consumer mediation: approved mediator designated and mentioned
- Country of origin: transparency if possible confusion (DNVB / dropshipping)
Compliance deadline: 30 days (T&Cs corrections, mentions, Shopify setup). Audit cost: from EUR1,500 excl. VAT, included in some recurring Cabinet Hayot Expertise engagements.
Cabinet Hayot Expertise dropshipping T&C template#
The Cabinet Hayot Expertise T&C template systematically includes:
- Article 1: Seller identity (corporate name, RCS, capital, VAT, address)
- Article 2: T&C acceptance (mandatory checkbox at checkout)
- Article 3: Products and services (description, non-contractual photos)
- Article 4: Real delivery times (15-30 days for CN dropshipping, clear bold mention)
- Article 5: Incl.-VAT prices in euros, shipping fees
- Article 6: Payment methods (CB, PayPal, Klarna)
- Article 7: 14-day withdrawal right (form, conditions)
- Article 8: 2-year legal conformity warranty + hidden defects
- Article 9: Liability (force majeure)
- Article 10: Personal data (GDPR, DPO)
- Article 11: Consumer mediation (designated mediator)
- Article 12: Applicable law and competent jurisdiction
TikTok Ads + dropshipping: major DGCCRF 2026 risks#
Dropshippers using TikTok Ads and Meta Ads are the priority DGCCRF 2026 target. Why?
- Misleading viral videos: product demo not matching reality
- Fabricated customer testimonials (undisclosed sponsored UGC)
- "Before/after" on cosmetics without scientific proof
- Fast delivery promises ("Delivered in 48h!") incompatible with CN dropshipping
- Opaque dynamic pricing (recurrent "24h limited offer")
Typical sanction: TikTok Ads account block + video removal + EUR3,000-15,000 fine. Cabinet Hayot Expertise recommends a dedicated audit of TikTok / Meta content before scaling beyond EUR50k/month spend.
Going further#
Cabinet Hayot Expertise in Paris audits your DGCCRF compliance, structures your T&Cs and secures your business model. See our Dropshipping page, our e-commerce page and our Company formation service.
Launching or scaling a dropshipping business? Cabinet Hayot Expertise secures your DGCCRF compliance, T&Cs, tax and accounting in 30 days. Free 90-day scoping.
Frequently asked questions
La DGCCRF a-t-elle le droit de contrôler ma boutique Shopify ou TikTok Shop ?
Oui. La DGCCRF (Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes) a compétence sur toute activité commerciale exercée en France, y compris les boutiques en ligne hébergées à l'étranger si elles vendent à des consommateurs français. Les contrôles 2025-2026 ciblent prioritairement les dropshippers TikTok Ads et Meta Ads, en lien avec la mise en application complète du règlement européen GPSR (sécurité produit) et du Digital Services Act (DSA).
Quelles sont les sanctions encourues en cas de non-conformité DGCCRF ?
Amendes administratives : jusqu'à 7 500 € pour mention obligatoire absente (CGV, mentions légales), 1 500 € par défaut d'information précontractuelle. Sanctions pénales : pratique commerciale trompeuse = 2 ans d'emprisonnement + 300 000 € d'amende (art. L132-2 Code conso). Sanctions GPSR pour violation grave (sécurité produit) : jusqu'à 4 % du CA mondial annuel + retrait/rappel produits + interdiction d'exercer 5 ans. Sanctions accessoires : blocage Shopify/Stripe, suppression du compte vendeur.
Mes CGV de dropshipping sont-elles obligatoires ?
Oui. Les CGV (Conditions Générales de Vente) sont obligatoires pour tout e-commerce vendant à des consommateurs (B2C). Elles doivent contenir : identité du vendeur, prix TTC, modalités de paiement, droit de rétractation 14 jours, garantie légale de conformité, médiation de la consommation, juridiction compétente. Cabinet Hayot Expertise fournit un modèle CGV dropshipping conforme dans la mission de cadrage.
Le délai de livraison réel doit-il être affiché en dropshipping ?
Oui, et c'est le motif de sanction DGCCRF n°1 en dropshipping. Article L221-15 Code conso : le délai de livraison réel doit être annoncé clairement avant la commande, pas en petits caractères noyés dans les CGV. Pour un dropshipping CN/HK avec délai 15-30 jours, l'omission ou l'affichage trompeur (ex. '3-5 jours ouvrés' alors que c'est 20 jours) est sanctionné systématiquement.
Cabinet Hayot Expertise peut-il auditer ma conformité DGCCRF ?
Oui. L'audit conformité DGCCRF Cabinet Hayot Expertise couvre 8 points : CGV, mentions légales, prix barré, délais réels, droit de rétractation, garantie, médiation, transparence pays origine. Audit livré sous 15 jours avec correctifs prêts à déployer (CGV-type, mentions, paramétrage Shopify). Inclus dans les missions dropshipping et e-commerce.
Article written by Samuel HAYOT
Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Regulated French accounting and audit firm based in Paris 8, built to support companies across France with a digital and decision-oriented approach.
Sources
Official and operational sources cited for this page.
This topic is part of our service Company formation in France | SASU, SAS, SARL
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