In short. Article L111-7-2 requires fair, clear and transparent review processing information, with specific disclosures and reporting duties detailed by implementing articles.
Definition: French Consumer Code Article L111-7-2 requires anyone collecting, moderating or publishing online consumer reviews as a main or ancillary activity to explain their publication and processing arrangements fairly, clearly and transparently. It requires information about review checks, dates and updates, rejection reasons, and a free facility for reporting reasoned doubts about authenticity.
Key facts
- As of 17 October 2026, Article L111-7-2 requires disclosure of whether reviews undergo checks and the main characteristics of any checks performed.
- Article D111-10 places checking information, publication and experience dates, and sorting criteria near the reviews; incentive and time-limit information belongs in an easily accessible dedicated section.
- When checks occur, Article D111-11 requires information about their operation, contact with authors, possible changes to reviews and grounds for refusing publication.
Who and which reviews fall within the rules?
Article L111-7-2 covers both individuals and legal persons whose main or ancillary activity involves collecting, moderating or publishing consumer reviews. This wording includes review handling carried out alongside another business activity.
Article D111-9 defines an online review as a consumer's opinion about a consumption experience, expressed through qualitative or quantitative assessments. The experience falls within this definition whether or not the consumer buys the product or service. The article excludes user sponsorships, users' recommendations of online reviews, and expert reviews.
What appears beside reviews and in the dedicated section?
Article D111-10 requires clear, visible information near the reviews about whether a checking procedure exists. Each review's publication date and the date of the consumption experience concerned also appear there. The disclosed sorting criteria include chronological sorting.
The same article requires an easily accessible dedicated section stating whether any benefit is provided in exchange for submitting reviews. That section also gives the maximum publication and retention periods for a review. Separately, Article L111-7-2 requires the review date and any updates to be displayed.
What information accompanies review checks?
When the operator checks reviews, Article D111-11 requires disclosure of the main characteristics of those checks at collection, moderation or publication. It also requires information about whether the consumer author may be contacted, where applicable.
The article requires disclosure of whether a review can be changed and, where changes are possible, how they work. Grounds for refusing publication also form part of the required information. Personal data processing undertaken for review checks must comply with the amended French law on information technology, data files and civil liberties identified in that article.
What happens to rejected or disputed reviews?
Article D111-12 requires the operator to inform the author of a rejected review of the reasons, by any appropriate means. This individual notice accompanies the publication of refusal grounds required when reviews undergo checks.
Article L111-7-2 also requires a free reporting feature for the persons responsible for the products or services reviewed. They can use it to notify the operator of doubts about a review's authenticity, provided the report gives reasons.
Related terms
- What must a shop explain about how it verifies customer reviews?
- Which fake review practices does EU consumer law prohibit?
- Review structured data
FAQ
Does a review require a completed purchase?
Article D111-9 includes a consumer's experience whether or not a purchase occurs. Expert reviews are excluded from its definition.
Can all disclosure information sit on a separate policy page?
Article D111-10 requires checking status, the relevant dates and sorting criteria near reviews. It assigns information about incentives and maximum publication and retention periods to an easily accessible dedicated section.
Who can report an authenticity concern through the free feature?
Article L111-7-2 gives this facility to those responsible for the products or services reviewed. The report must explain the grounds for the doubt.
Sources
- Légifrance, "Code de la consommation, Article L111-7-2", version effective 17 February 2024
- Légifrance, "Code de la consommation, Article D111-9", version effective 9 July 2024
- Légifrance, "Code de la consommation, Article D111-10", version effective 9 July 2024
- Légifrance, "Code de la consommation, Article D111-11", version effective 9 July 2024
- Légifrance, "Code de la consommation, Article D111-12", version effective 9 July 2024
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