France has called upon the European Union to sanction the Chinese-founded fast-fashion retailer Shein, following a national uproar over “childlike” sex dolls listed on the online store.
“The European Commission must take action,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in an interview with French public broadcaster France Info, arguing that Shein was “evidently in breach of European rules.”
“The [European] Commission has conducted certain investigations. It must now accompany them with sanctions,” he added.
In response, the EU has said that it takes the risks from illegal products on the online platform “very seriously.”
EU considering possible next steps
The EU’s digital chief Henna Virkkunen was set to meet with French ministers on Thursday to discuss “the potential next steps from the EU side.”
“The sale of childlike sex dolls is extremely concerning,” EU digital spokesperson Thomas Regnier told reporters on Thursday. “We do not want to see these products being offered to European citizens.”
He added that the EU was currently not planning to block access to the online retail platform for Shein under the Digital Services Act — an EU framework to regulate online services and protect user rights within the bloc.
The digital affairs spokesperson pointed out that such a move would be the “very last resort,” and the decision of Ireland as the state hosting Shein’s EU headquarters.
The EU is consulting with France to determine whether the risks identified were “systemic,” in which case, “the commission will not hesitate to take action,” Regnier said.
Uproar in France over ‘childlike’ sex doll
The e-commerce giant caused a scandal in France when its web page was found to be advertising sex dolls with “childlike” features. Following public outcry and threats of delisting, Shein said it had sanctioned the third-party seller and banned the sale of sex dolls on its entire platform.
The Paris prosecutors’ office has opened investigations and on Wednesday, France’s government took steps to suspend Shein’s online platform outright until it complies with French regulations.
This came the same day as Shein opened the doors to its first physical retail store in France amid protests against the fast fashion company’s labor practices and environmental impact.
A petition against the presence of the brick-and-mortar shop in the heart of France’s fashion capital had over 120,000 signatures at the time of publication.
Shein under fire for violating EU consumer protection law
This is not the first instance of Shein coming under EU scrutiny. In early 2024, the bloc added Shein to a list of large online platforms subject to tougher obligations under the Digital Services Act.
Since, the EU has launched a probe into possible illegal content and goods in the retailer’s online marketplace, raising concerns for the protection of minors, public health and personal data, among other things.
In parallel, Brussels has also been coordinating an investigation with national consumer authorities into Shein’s marketing practices, which it says are in breach of EU consumer law.
Should Shein fail to address the concerns flagged, it risks multimillion euro fines.
Edited by: Zac Crellin
