DIY and gardening : the DGCCRF warns of alarming non-compliance rates

Chainsaws, brushcutters, drills or hedge trimmers: the tools that equip garages and garden sheds are by no means all safe. The DGCCRF has just published the results of an inspection plan carried out on DIY and gardening products, and the findings are alarming. For certain families of machines, the entirety of samples taken showed an anomaly.

Non-compliance rates reaching 100% for certain products

Investigators from the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention focused primarily on machines that present the greatest physical risks to users: petrol chainsaws and brushcutters. As a result, all units tested in these two categories were found to be non-compliant with the regulations applicable to machinery. The deficiencies observed are not limited to cosmetic issues: they include safety devices that are missing or poorly calibrated as well as incomplete, or even entirely missing, user manuals.

• Mandatory markings incomplete or missing on the device
• Instruction manuals partial or not translated into French
• Absence or malfunction of safety devices meant to protect the user

In response to these failures, the authorities did not merely issue findings: the campaign resulted in 18 warnings, 15 injunctions and 3 reports forwarded to the courts. Several professionals also took voluntary corrective measures, ranging from withdrawal from sale to bringing products into compliance, even to recalling products already in consumers' hands.

A problem amplified by purchases on foreign platforms

This sectoral inspection plan is part of a broader trend observed by the DGCCRF since spring 2025: products purchased via foreign marketplaces show particularly high non-compliance rates. In a sample taken from seven platforms among the most frequented by French consumers, nearly half of the references analyzed proved to be non-compliant or dangerous, whether in tools, toys or small household appliances. To strengthen these controls, the authorities are now relying on artificial intelligence tools in order to better target at-risk listings among the thousands of products uploaded online each day.

What DIYers can check before buying

Before any purchase of petrol or electric tools, a few simple checks can help limit risks:

• Check for the presence of the CE marking and its consistency with the product documentation
• Make sure the manual is properly written in French and complete
• Prefer retailers and sites that clearly display the manufacturer's identity and a reachable after-sales service
• Check the official platform RappelConso if in doubt about a product already purchased

These checks apply to both major renovation works and routine garden maintenance, two areas where petrol and handheld power tools are particularly common. The same reflex applies to purchases made on large e-commerce platforms, where the origin and compliance of products are sometimes more difficult to verify than in a physical store.

Frequently asked questions

Which products are most affected by these non-compliances?

Petrol chainsaws and brushcutters top the list, with a 100% non-compliance rate on the samples checked by the DGCCRF. Other categories of DIY and gardening tools are also being monitored as part of the annual inspection plan.

What does a seller risk for marketing a non-compliant product?

Depending on the severity of the breaches, the DGCCRF can issue a simple warning, an injunction to bring the product into compliance, or forward the case to the courts via an official report. Professionals may also be required to withdraw products from sale or to carry out a recall to purchasers.

How can I check that a tool I already bought is not subject to a recall?

The official RappelConso website, managed by the French authorities, lists in real time all consumer product alerts and recalls, including DIY and gardening tools.

Sources

Ministry of Economy – DGCCRF, inspection of DIY and gardening products
Journal du Geek, the state's offensive against non-compliant products sold by foreign platforms
LSA Conso, more targeted controls for DGCCRF agents

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy