Consumer affairs

Vogel & Vogel advises and assists companies in connection with their general obligation to monitor their products. The firm assists companies whose products could represent a risk for users, with respect to the various steps to be undertaken with the authorities throughout the European Union (risk assessment, assistance in the choice of actions to be taken in order to control the risks incurred, informal contacts with the authorities, notification of the risk, follow-up of notifications, etc.) and proposes innovative solutions.
The lawyers on the consumer affairs team are very experienced in such actions and act within very short deadlines for actions filed by their clients. When such procedures take place in parallel to court proceedings, the firm coordinates the actions with the judicial authorities. In the event of court proceedings, we ensure our clients’ defense.

Vogel & Vogel is highly experienced in cases relating to aftersales services proposed by undertakings.
The lawyers in our consumer affairs team regularly take part in expert assessment procedures and plead throughout France and, thanks to the Vogel Global Competition Network, also Europe-wide.

French law allows class actions for damages for anticompetitive practices.
Our firm represented Bouygues Telecom in the first class action suit in France brought by UFC Que Choisir, in which the claim was unsuccessful.

The firm advises various economic operators concerning the compatibility of their advertising with the applicable rules with respect to consumer law (misleading advertising or liable to mislead, false advertising, advertising on prices, etc.).

Consumers are protected by rules relating to unfair contractual terms in their relations with professionnals.
Vogel & Vogel assists companies in drafting their contracts and general terms and conditions of sale intended for consumers in order to avoid possible future litigation. The lawyers on the consumer affairs team also have significant litigation experience in connection with all problems between professionnals and consumers.

Unfair commercial practices adopted by companies in their relations with consumers, such as misleading (false or misleading advertising) or aggressive (forced sales) practices, are prohibited.
French and European law (2005 Directive on unfair commercial practices) protect the most vulnerable consumers from such practices.
Vogel & Vogel assists companies in connection with litigation with consumers relating to such problems.

defeated UFC Que Choisir at first instance, on appeal and in cassation in the pre-paid cards case,
obtained 16 consecutive victories in the Nox emissions case,
established an original defense in the UFC Que Choisir class action.

Vogel & Vogel also handles several hundreds of after-sales and product liability cases per year.