France Urges European Union To Investigate Chinese Retailer Shein Over Sales Of Sex And Arms Dolls

JAKARTA - France is increasing pressure on the European Union to conduct a formal investigation into China's fast-mode retailer Shein over the sale of sex dolls such as children and banned weapons on its platform.

France has decided to ban Shein from these illegal products, prompting the company to suspend its platform in the country in order to "review and strengthen" the way third-party sellers operate on the platform.

France has stopped selling all sex dolls around the world.

"I believe the platform clearly violates European rules," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in an interview with Franceinfo radio station.

"The European Commission must take action. They cannot wait any longer," he continued.

Shein's website in France can still be seen on Thursday. However, the site only features its own clothing products, instead of a variety of toys, household appliances, and gadgets that are usually available on its marketplace, which has become a growing source of company revenue.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure and Anne le Henanff, the country's digital minister, wrote a letter to EU technology chief Henna Vikkunen on Wednesday evening, urging the European Commission to investigate Shein "soon".

"France warns the European Commission and its entire member states of serious abuses in its territory, and predicts similar risks associated with the activities of these platforms in other EU countries," they wrote.

A spokesman for the Commission confirmed the letter had been received and said the 27-member bloc executive body would review it and decide on the next steps.

Shein did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Thursday.

Germany's retail industry group HDE also urged the German government and EU authorities to take a firmer stance against Shein.

"Legal and regulatory violations should have consequences," HDE managing director Stefan Genth told Reuters on Thursday.

German state-backed product testing group Stiftung Warentest said last week, 110 of the 162 items tested from Shein and its rival's online platform, Temu, did not meet EU standards, citing unsafe toys and toxic metals in jewelry.

DSA requires online platforms to collect and verify third-party seller information and examine their market for inappropriate products.

The Commission can impose fines of up to 6% of the company's global annual turnover for confirmed DSA violations.

Shein recorded a global revenue of $37 billion in 2024, according to a recent report from its parent company, Roadget Business Pte Ltd, in Singapore.

Shein has nearly 146 million monthly average users in the EU, according to a recent transparency report submitted under DSA requirements.

Earlier this year, the Commission asked him to provide documents and internal information about risks related to illegal goods and content in his market.