Influencer Fined $54,000 for Promoting Banned Teeth Whitening Product in France

50,000 euros. This is the fine that influencer Poupette Kenza must pay, prosecuted for promoting teeth whitening strips that are banned in France, reports Le Monde. The Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) accuses Kenza Benchrif of "not having indicated the true commercial intention of the content for which" her company "received consideration", and of "having given the impression that the sale of a Crest 3D White brand teeth whitener is lawful, whereas it is prohibited from sale on French territory".

Targeted by the DGCCRF for "misleading commercial practices" in August, Kenza Benchrif’s company, called Seyana Society, agreed to pay the "criminal transaction" of 50,000 euros rather than face criminal prosecution. The Rouennaise must also publish a press release about this sanction on all her networks (TikTok and Instagram). She had meanwhile publicly denounced this procedure. "It’s theft," "I want to vomit," the 23-year-old influencer exclaimed, rejoicing at having left Rouen for Dubai (United Arab Emirates), where she has settled.

In July 2021, Nabilla was fined 20,000 euros for the same kind of facts. "Misleading commercial practices" are punishable by French law. Since the beginning of June, the DGCCRF has issued several injunctions against some influencers. In parallel, a text regulating their practices has been adopted by Parliament. This law also prohibits the promotion of certain things, such as cosmetic surgery or "therapeutic abstention", but also prohibits or severely restricts the promotion of various medical devices. Any offender is liable to up to two years in prison and a fine of 300,000 euros.