France Urges EU Crackdown on Shein and Temu Over Unsafe Products

France is pressing the European Union to strengthen enforcement against online platforms such as Shein and Temu over the sale of unsafe and illegal products.

French consumer authorities say some foreign online marketplaces show unusually high rates of noncompliant and dangerous goods compared with traditional retail channels.

Sarah Lacoche, head of France’s Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), has called for stronger EU enforcement measures, including sanctions for serious breaches of consumer protection and digital platform rules.

France intensified controls on foreign online marketplaces after authorities identified dangerous and illegal products on some platforms, including prohibited sex dolls resembling children.

According to the DGCCRF, France’s main consumer protection and market surveillance authority, more than 100,000 products were flagged for removal or withdrawal from sale during enforcement operations that began in 2025.

In a statement issued on April 29, the DGCCRF said tests on nearly 600 products purchased from seven major foreign marketplaces found that about 75 percent of them were noncompliant with EU rules and 46 percent were considered dangerous.

French authorities said they tripled online product sampling under a government e-commerce safety plan that began in spring 2025. The checks focused on high-risk categories, including children’s products, electrical appliances, and textiles.

Common problems included choking hazards caused by detachable small parts, fire and electric-shock risks linked to electrical devices, and excessive levels of harmful chemicals in some products.

French officials said the sheer volume of low-cost imports entering the EU makes it difficult for customs authorities to intercept every unsafe product.

The European Commission opened formal proceedings against Shein under the Digital Services Act in 2025. The investigation concerns the sale of illegal products and content, platform design practices, and the transparency of its recommender systems.

The commission is also investigating Temu over suspected failures to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform.

Under EU consumer-protection rules, member states may impose fines of up to 4 percent of a trader’s annual turnover in the relevant member state for widespread infringements affecting consumers.

Separately, violations of the Digital Services Act can lead to penalties of up to 6 percent of a platform’s global annual turnover.

French and EU officials have said enforcement measures are intended to address serious or repeated noncompliance by large online marketplaces.

The EU also shares alerts about dangerous non-food products among member states through its Safety Gate system.

These measures aim to protect consumers from unsafe imports while ensuring fair competition for businesses that comply with EU standards.