On 30 April 2026, Seldia replied to the Public Consultation on the evaluation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD). Apart from Seldia’s response to the public consultation questionnaire, we submitted a position paper that complements our answers by providing a more detailed explanation of our views. The key points of our position paper are: Distinction between direct sellers and influencers: direct sellers differ from traditional influencers, as they are remunerated based on actual sales and are responsible for their own promotional activities. Clarification of influencer status using criteria: we support clearer identification of which influencers fall under the AVMSD by relying on objective criteria (e.g. audience size, revenue, level of activity), building on existing national approaches such as those developed in Italy, Spain, or the Netherlands. Brand obligations: disproportionate requirements on brands should be avoided. Any obligations should be proportionate, realistic, aligned with the offline environment, and take into account all business models, including direct selling. Recognition of preventive compliance measures: if duty-of-care obligations are introduced, meaningful weight should be given to proactive measures taken by companies, ensuring that companies investing in compliance are not treated the same as those taking no action. Avoid overlap with the Digital Fairness Act (DFA): ensure coordination between DG JUST, responsible for the DFA (expected to be published in Q4 2026), and DG CONNECT, responsible for the AVMSD, to prevent duplication. Focus on enforcement and guidance: better enforcement of existing rules and clearer EU-level guidance, as well as self-regulation initiatives, should be prioritised rather than introducing new layers of regulation. You can download our Response to the Public Consultation here.

As we observe European Mental Health Week, taking place from 4th to 8th May 2026, the conversation around emotional and psychological wellbeing has never been more critical. This year's official theme, "Stronger Together: Prioritise Mental Health in a Changing Europe", perfectly captures the current climate. Europe is experiencing a period of profound transformation, and in an increasingly digital and sometimes fractured world, loneliness is widely recognised as a significant public health concern. Our mental health is deeply intertwined with our sense of belonging and community. The 2026 campaign reminds us that healing and resilience do not happen in isolation, but through solidarity and shared purpose. In this context, the direct selling sector offers a vital antidote to isolation by inherently fostering strong, supportive, and inclusive networks. While often viewed primarily as means of earning additional income, direct selling is fundamentally a business of human connection. Here is how the sector actively builds communities that support mental wellbeing across Europe, proving that we truly are stronger together. The Antidote to Modern Isolation Traditional employment and the rise of remote work can often leave individuals feeling disconnected from their peers. The lack of a shared physical environment frequently removes informal support networks. Direct selling bridges this gap uniquely. It offers the independence of self-employment while ensuring that individuals are never truly working alone. When a person joins a direct selling business, they are immediately plugged into a wider network of like-minded individuals. This structure creates a built-in social safety net, providing regular interaction that serves as a powerful buffer against the isolation of modern life. Cultivating Micro-Communities and Daily Touchpoints At its core, direct selling relies on building trust, rapport, and lasting relationships. Sellers do not just sell products; they cultivate active micro-communities. Whether hosting in-person gatherings, product demonstrations, or engaging in dedicated online forums and group chats, these networks frequently evolve into robust personal support systems. For many people, especially those who may feel isolated due to geography, caregiving responsibilities, or personal circumstances, these communities provide a crucial daily touchpoint. Team members share advice, celebrate each other's successes, and offer vital encouragement during challenging times. These regular, positive interactions create a culture of care that is essential for maintaining good mental health. Mentorship, Empowerment, and Self-Esteem A critical component of psychological wellbeing is feeling capable, valued, and purposeful. The structure of direct selling champions peer support and mentorship by design. Newcomers are rarely left to navigate the business alone. Instead, they are welcomed into established teams and guided by experienced leaders who are genuinely invested in their personal and professional growth. This highly collaborative environment is incredibly effective at boosting self-esteem and confidence. Achieving goals with the backing of a supportive team provides a profound sense of validation. Furthermore, as individuals gain experience, they often transition into mentoring roles themselves. The act of helping others succeed is deeply fulfilling and reinforces a positive sense of self-worth. Flexibility That Supports Work-Life Balance Rigid work structures, demanding commutes, and inflexible hours frequently lead to burnout, stress, and anxiety. Direct selling provides individuals with the autonomy to set their own schedules and dictate their own pace. This flexibility allows people to prioritise family life, personal commitments, and crucially, self-care, without the guilt or pressure often associated with conventional corporate environments. By giving individuals control over their time, the sector helps alleviate the daily stressors that can exacerbate mental health struggles. The ability to pause, reset, or scale back work during difficult periods ensures that individuals do not have to choose between their livelihood and their mental wellbeing. Creating Inclusive Spaces to Break Stigmas Direct selling is notably accessible, welcoming individuals from all walks of life, regardless of their background, age, or previous professional experience. This inclusivity fosters diverse communities where people can find common ground and mutual respect. For many individuals stepping back into the workforce, or those looking for a sense of identity outside of their primary domestic roles, these welcoming environments provide a safe, non-judgemental space. In environments where inclusivity is championed, the stigma surrounding mental health naturally begins to fade. People feel safer sharing their struggles and seeking support when they know they are part of a community that values them as individuals, not just as workers. Building Collective Resilience The economic benefits of direct selling are well documented, but its role in building resilient, connected communities is equally valuable. As Europe navigates a period of rapid change, the need for collective resilience is paramount. By bringing people together, fostering inclusive environments, and championing mutual support, the direct selling sector makes a meaningful contribution to the mental and emotional wellbeing of over 5.4 million Europeans. It stands as a testament to the fact that when we prioritise connection and community, we truly are stronger together.

On this Earth Day, 2026, the global conversation around environmental responsibility has never been more prevalent. For the direct selling sector, sustainability is no longer just a corporate buzzword; it is a fundamental shift in how business is conducted. Seldia Members are uniquely positioned to drive this change. By leveraging their vast networks and close relationships with consumers, these companies are championing green initiatives, reducing their carbon footprints, and fostering a culture of ecological awareness. From pioneering digital product passports to implementing regenerative farming and zero-waste manufacturing, the direct selling industry is actively investing in a greener future. Below, we explore just a few of the ways Seldia Members are delivering on their sustainability commitments this Earth Day. Amway: Cultivating a Legacy of Care Amway’s environmental strategy focuses heavily on regenerative farming, efficient operations, and conscious product creation. On their certified organic farms, Amway utilises advanced GPS technology for tractor fuel efficiency and precision laser weeders to minimise soil disturbance. Their commitment extends to their facilities, such as the Madurai plant in India, which sourced the vast majority of its power from renewable energy in 2025. Furthermore, their product innovation continues to tackle everyday waste. The eSpring™ Water Purifier, for example, uses 25% less energy during active use and filters the equivalent of 10,000 plastic bottles a year per household. Oriflame: Pioneering the Future of Digital Labelling As regulatory demands grow, physical product labels are becoming increasingly crowded, leading to higher printing costs and excess packaging waste. Oriflame is tackling this issue head-on by advocating for digital labelling. By moving mandatory cosmetic information online, companies can reduce environmental impact while improving consumer legibility. On 8th April 2025, Oriflame proudly represented the cosmetics industry alongside the European trade association Cosmetics Europe at the Digital Consumer Information Alliance exhibition in Brussels. They are actively paving the way for the upcoming European Digital Product Passport, enhancing  traceability and a smoother consumer experience. Coral Club: Uniting Communities for Clean Water Water is at the heart of Coral Club’s mission to "Hydrate the World". To celebrate World Water Day earlier this year, Coral Club Poland partnered with Fundacja Bałtyk 2.0 to organise a massive beach clean-up in Gdynia under the banner "Water Connects Us". Over 90 participants, including distributors and their families, collected approximately 100 kg of waste from the Baltic coastline. The initiative, which also featured a community yoga session, inspired remote clean-ups across lakes and rivers locally. It served as a powerful reminder that corporate responsibility and community action go hand in hand. Avon: Science-Based Targets and Supply Chain Transparency Avon is taking rigorous steps to protect the planet by setting ambitious Science Based Targets for 2030. Having already surpassed their 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goals, Avon achieved a major milestone in 2023 by sending zero operational waste to landfill. They are also transforming their packaging and sourcing models. Avon has pledged to make 100% of their packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030. Simultaneously, they are working with organisations like the Responsible Mica Initiative and Action for Sustainable Derivatives to ensure critical supply chains, such as mica and palm oil, are fully traceable and ethical by 2025. Nu Skin: A 360-Degree Approach to Product Sustainability Nu Skin views product development through a strictly sustainable lens, guided by their 6S Quality Standards. They are currently assessing and improving the environmental impact score of their entire product portfolio. By 2030, Nu Skin has committed to transitioning all packaging to be recycled, recyclable, reusable, reduced, or renewable. They are already increasing the use of FDA-approved post-consumer recycled plastics, keeping virgin plastic out of the supply chain. Additionally, Nu Skin ensures that their paper-based packaging is certified by leading international forest standards and relies on sustainably sourced palm oil. Herbalife: Advancing a Circular Economy in Europe Herbalife is making measurable strides in the European market by aligning with the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices. As they work towards a climate-neutral food chain by 2050, Herbalife is optimising resource efficiency right now. They aim to significantly reduce paper use across EU logistics by 2025 through the rollout of digital, paperless invoices. On the packaging front, Herbalife has completely eliminated the use of virgin plastic in airfills across 26 EU markets. Furthermore, the removal of virgin plastic scoops from their powdered products has already saved approximately 24.8 tonnes of plastic. A More Sustainable Future? The efforts of Seldia Members demonstrate that businesses can thrive while prioritising the planet. Whether it is through transforming supply chains, reducing physical waste, or empowering local communities, the direct selling sector is proving that every step counts. This Earth Day, we celebrate the progress made and look forward to the innovative sustainability milestones yet to come.

We are pleased to announce that the Seldia 2025 Annual Report has been published. We would like to thank the Seldia Board and our Members for their dedication throughout 2025. You can download the report here .

The history of women's empowerment is often charted through political milestones, but economic empowerment has an equally compelling, yet sometimes overlooked, history. Long before women across Europe secured the right to vote, direct selling emerged as a revolutionary avenue for financial independence. Today, on International Women’s Day, we celebrate a business model that has been championing women’s entrepreneurship for over a century and continues to thrive across the continent - Direct Selling. The Pioneer Who Started It All When discussing the roots of women’s empowerment in retail, we must look back to 1886 and the widely acknowledged first-ever direct seller, Mrs P.F.E. Albee. At 50 years old, Mrs Albee became the first General Agent for David H. McConnell’s California Perfume Company. Travelling by train and horse-drawn buggy, she did more than simply sell perfumes; she recruited a network of other women, offering them an unprecedented opportunity to step out of strictly domestic roles and earn their own income. Her pioneering work laid the foundation for a global industry that fundamentally believed in women's capabilities decades before society at large caught up. A Modern Pathway to Independence The legacy of Mrs Albee is vibrantly alive today. Direct selling remains a powerhouse for entrepreneurship amongst women. According to the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA) 2024 statistics, women make up approximately 76% of the direct selling salesforce in the EU. This overwhelming majority highlights how the industry continues to meet the needs of modern women. The ways in which direct selling empowers women today are multifaceted: Flexibility and Autonomy: It offers the freedom to build a business around family, studies or other commitments, putting women in total control of their schedules. Financial Independence: It provides a scalable opportunity to generate primary or supplemental income, fostering economic stability and personal development. Community and Mentorship: Direct selling is inherently social. It creates strong support networks where women mentor, encourage and celebrate one another's successes. Accessible Entrepreneurship: With low start-up costs and comprehensive training programmes, it removes the traditional barriers that often prevent women from starting their own businesses. Empowerment at Every Stage of Life One of the most remarkable aspects of direct selling is that it is open to all. It does not demand a specific CV, nor does it discriminate based on life stage. This inclusivity is deeply empowering. For a young woman just entering the workforce, it offers vital sales and communication skills. For a mother returning to work, it provides a flexible transition. For women over 50, a demographic that frequently faces ageism in traditional corporate environments, direct selling offers a dynamic space to leverage their life experience, build new social circles and maintain financial independence.   Looking Forward From the horse-drawn buggies of 1886 to the digital storefronts of 2026, the direct selling model has continuously evolved. Yet, its core mission remains strikingly consistent: providing a platform for women to achieve their potential on their own terms. As we celebrate International Women's Day, we recognise direct selling not just as a retail channel, but as a historic and ongoing catalyst for the empowerment of women. Imelda Vital, Executive Director at Seldia: “On International Women’s Day, I am proud to represent the 4.1 million amazing women who are direct sellers across the EU. Thank you for your dedication and entrepreneurial spirit. Keep growing, keep striving, and keep building your businesses.” Soledad Hijano, Secretary General at AVD & Treasurer at Seldia: “ Direct selling has empowered generations of women by offering them the opportunity to grow professionally while balancing different stages of life. On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the dedication, resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of the many women who continue to shape this sector in Spain and across Europe.”

As the global community observes the World Day of Social Justice, the conversation naturally turns towards the systemic inequities that fracture our societies. We discuss the wage gaps, the educational divides, and the geographic disparities that leave millions behind. The United Nations defines social justice broadly as the removal of barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, or disability. It is a call for a fairer distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. Usually, when we seek solutions to these grand challenges, we look to government policy or NGO intervention. However, there is an often-overlooked commercial sector that aligns perfectly with this definition of social justice because it is structurally "blind" to these barriers: Direct Selling. Direct selling is one of the few industries where entry is not determined by a CV, a university degree, or a significant capital investment. It is a strictly "open to all" economy. By its very nature, it bypasses the traditional gatekeepers of employment and capital, offering a practical, working model of inclusive economic growth. Eliminating Barriers to Entry (Economic Justice) The first and perhaps most critical aspect of social justice is economic access. In the traditional business world, entrepreneurship is frequently a privilege reserved for the wealthy, who have the capital requirements to start, or the highly educated, who have the credentials to attract investment. This creates a closed loop where wealth generates wealth, and those without initial advantages are locked out. Direct selling dismantles this exclusivity. The industry offers low start-up costs - often less than €100 for a sales kit - and requires no specific educational background, effectively democratising access to income. It functions on the premise that effort and skill, rather than background or bank balance, should determine success. The evidence of this inclusion is clear. According to the 2023 Seldia/Ipsos survey , 25% of new direct sellers were not in any form of employment prior to starting their business. For these individuals, direct selling was not just a side hustle; it was a re-entry point into the economy that the traditional labour market had denied them. Furthermore, 29% of sellers are aged 50+, a demographic frequently sidelined by corporate ageism, finding here a sector that values their life experience rather than penalising their age. Gender Equity (Social Inclusion) The persistence of the gender pay gap and the "motherhood penalty" remains a significant social injustice across Europe. Traditional employment structures often penalise breaks in service or the need for flexible hours, pushing many women either out of the workforce entirely or into roles that do not utilise their full potential. Direct selling provides a robust, market-proven solution to this systemic exclusion. With 76% of direct sellers in Europe being women, the industry has organically created an environment that accommodates care duties rather than punishing them. It allows women to maintain economic independence on their own terms. This is supported by the data: 97% of direct sellers explicitly state they value the flexibility the industry offers regarding working hours.   Crucially, this flexibility does not come at the cost of professional growth. The survey highlights that 74% of sellers reported improved self-esteem and confidence, and 72% developed new business skills. This proves the sector is not merely a source of income, but a vehicle for professional empowerment for women who might otherwise be marginalised by rigid corporate structures. Geographic Inclusion (Bridging the Urban/Rural Divide) A growing fracture in European social cohesion is the divide between booming capital cities and declining rural areas. Economic opportunity is increasingly concentrated in major urban hubs, leading to a "brain drain" where talent and youth migrate to cities, leaving rural communities economically hollowed out. Direct selling thrives in decentralised networks. It does not require a headquarters in a financial district to function. Instead, it transfers wealth back into local communities, including rural and semi-urban areas. When a direct seller builds a business in a small village, the revenue they generate circulates locally. With over 5.4 million people involved in direct selling across Europe, this amounts to a massive, decentralised economic engine. These sellers are often acquiring transferable skills, such as digital competence and interpersonal communication (cited by 77% of respondents), which effectively "up-skills" rural populations without the need for them to relocate to urban centres to access training. Conclusion: A Partner in Cohesion By framing direct selling merely as a retail channel, we miss its deeper significance. It is a mechanism for inclusive economic growth. For Seldia and its members, the World Day of Social Justice is an opportunity to validate the industry not just as a business model, but as a necessary partner in the EU's social cohesion strategy. In a world building walls around opportunity, direct selling continues to build bridges. It reminds us that an economy is only truly successful when it is open to everyone.

Seldia, the European Direct Selling Association, has officially launched its 2024-2029 manifesto, presenting a vision to foster a competitive Single Market that is both socially responsible and conducive to the growth of the Direct Selling sector across the EU. We call on EU institutions to: Harmonise consumer protection rules and strengthen enforcement by establishing clear, uniform consumer protection standards and equipping regulatory bodies with stronger tools and additional resources. Support entrepreneurship by reducing administrative burdens, and implementing tax incentives, along with programs that provide funding, training, and resources. Acknowledge Direct Selling as a valuable provider of skill development by recognising in-company trainings programs for direct sellers. Click here to read the full manifesto. Additionally, Seldia has developed resources to provide insights into how Direct Selling works and what sets it apart from other business models. Key aspects of Direct Selling: It operates in a unique way. Personalised services and high-quality products are sold directly to consumers by independent sellers without the additional investment costs associated with traditional retail. Direct Selling adapts to consumers’ preferences and digital advancements using a range of channels both online and offline. Direct contact and personal connection between sellers and customers, which might be facilitated by digital tools, are the core of Direct Selling, regardless of the method. Discover more about Direct Selling and our campaign on our dedicated webpage . Download  here  the full Seldia Press Release.

The WFDSA has published the 2024 Global Annual Direct Selling Statistical Data Report in November 2025. A few statistics concerning the EU: The EU collectively recorded sales of €32.218 million (-3.2%). The number of sellers increased from 5.3 to 5.4 million. The share of women remains close to 80%, with 76%. Wellness was the largest category in 2024 with 17.7% of sales, followed by cosmetics and personal care (14.2%), household and durables (13.3%), and home improvement (12.1%). 4 of the 21 billion-dollar markets in 2024 are in the EU, including Germany, France, Italy, and Poland. Visit the  WFDSA website   for the full results.

We have published the second edition of Seldia’s external newsletter. This newsletter aims to share key milestones and activities from our association, as well as the latest news from and relevant to the direct selling industry in Europe.In this issue, you can discover our most significant achievements from the second half of 2026, along with developments relevant to the direct selling sector. Check out the newsletter at this  link . If you would like to receive it directly you can subscribe   here .

Seldia welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the call for evidence on the evaluation and update of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. We acknowledge that the audiovisual media service ecosystem has undergone significant changes since it was last revised. However, we believe that the AVMSD remains fit for purpose. To adapt the current legal framework to market evolution, non-legislative interventions should first be explored. Non-binding guidance, combined with effective enforcement, should remain the preferred tool to promote legal certainty and consistent interpretation. Legislative intervention should be reserved for addressing clearly identified gaps or unregulated issues, where such action is necessary, proportionate, and supported by robust empirical evidence and data. Influencer marketing is covered by a comprehensive legal framework, complemented by soft-law instruments, self-regulatory initiatives, training, and certifications. However, as not all Member States have followed the same approach, we recommend developing clear and simple guidelines on influencer marketing to achieve harmonisation. You can download our Response to the Call for Evidence  here .