The French government has announced its plans to appeal the recent Paris court decision that refused a three-month suspension of Shein, a Chinese online platform. The government’s crackdown on Shein follows outrage over sex dolls resembling children being sold on its platform.
The Paris court directed Shein to enforce age verification measures for the sale of adult products on its French website, with a penalty of 10,000 euros for any violation. This ruling is part of an ongoing effort by the authorities to compel Shein to improve the regulation of products sold by third parties on its website.
However, the court turned down the government’s plea to suspend Shein’s entire website for three months, deeming such a measure as “disproportionate”. Despite the court’s decision, the French government, acting at the behest of the Prime Minister, intends to appeal the ruling in the next few days, asserting its belief in the “systematic risk” linked to Shein’s business model.
Shein has been the subject of controversy after France’s consumer watchdog, DGCCRF, discovered sex dolls imitating children and prohibited weapons for sale on its platform. This prompted the government’s attempt to suspend Shein’s operation.
A representative from Shein expressed approval of the court’s ruling. The spokesperson stated, “We remain committed to continuously improving our control processes, in close collaboration with the French authorities, with the aim of establishing some of the most stringent standards in the industry. Our priority remains protecting French consumers and ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations.”
Shein abstained from commenting on the government’s decision to appeal but can now reactivate its marketplace in France, which was suspended last month following the DGCCRF findings.
The Court of Paris has mandated Shein to establish measures to confirm the age of its users. This is to prevent “sexual products that may constitute pornographic content” from being accessible to minors. On November 3, Shein responded to the consumer watchdog’s findings by banning all sex dolls and suspending the adult products category from its global marketplace.
The French government has been actively targeting online platforms that sell illicit products. Last month, France’s consumer regulator reported that other platforms, including AliExpress, Amazon, Ebay, Joom, and Temu, were selling illicit products in France. However, unlike Shein, these platforms did not suspend their marketplaces, and they have not been the focus of government scrutiny to the same degree.
This crackdown also extends to policy, with French retailers claiming that Shein’s remarkably low prices and rapid growth are facilitated by a customs duty loophole. Recently, the EU agreed to impose a 3 euro fee on low-value e-commerce packages previously entering the bloc duty-free, echoing similar measures taken by the United States.
What was the French government’s request to the Paris court regarding Shein’s operation?
The French government requested a three-month suspension of Shein’s entire website, but the court deemed this measure as “disproportionate”.
What measures has Shein taken in response to the controversy?
After the discovery of childlike sex dolls and banned weapons on its platform, Shein suspended its adult products category globally and banned all sex dolls.
What measures have been taken by the EU to regulate low-value e-commerce packages?
The EU recently agreed to impose a 3 euro fee on low-value e-commerce packages that were previously entering the bloc duty-free.
