By Alimat Aliyeva
The Swedish Consumer Protection Agency (Konsumentverket) has proposed a full ban on telemarketing, arguing that the practice is fundamentally problematic—even when current regulations are followed. According to the agency, consumers often lack the ability to fully understand essential information such as product details, pricing, and contractual terms during unsolicited phone calls, Azernews reports.
As an alternative, the agency suggests introducing an "opt-in" system, where companies would only be allowed to contact individuals who have explicitly expressed interest in being approached.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from industry stakeholders. The Kontakta association, which represents customer service and telemarketing companies, accused the agency of overstepping its authority.
“The mandate was to review current telemarketing practices and evaluate whether further regulations might be needed for specific products, services, or sectors,” Kontakta stated. “But what we see here is a direct violation of that mandate. In our view, this is a clear example of bureaucratic activism, which is unacceptable in a democratic society like Sweden.”
The association also emphasized that telemarketing plays a vital role in the economy, providing thousands of jobs—particularly for young people and recent immigrants.
Konsumentverket, however, maintains that only a full ban will effectively address the issue, stating that minor legal adjustments have failed in the past and would likely continue to fall short.
Sweden wouldn’t be the first country to consider drastic restrictions on telemarketing. Several EU nations, including Germany and Italy, have also tightened rules in recent years in response to growing concerns over consumer privacy and aggressive sales tactics.
