France is calling on the European Union to intensify enforcement against online platforms, including Shein and Temu, for selling “unsafe” Chinese-made products, according to the Financial Times.
Sarah Lacoche, head of France’s competition and consumer protection authority, said the number of hazardous goods identified on Asian e-commerce platforms was significantly higher than on other online marketplaces.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Products flagged by authorities included hairdryers prone to overheating, electronic devices containing potentially explosive batteries, and teddy bears with unsafe parts.
French regulators have sharply increased inspections of foreign online marketplaces during the past year after childlike sex toys and weapons were discovered on Shein and other e-commerce sites.
Authorities have tripled product testing activity as part of the crackdown.
Since April 2025, French authorities have removed more than 100,000 products from online marketplaces after inspections found that 46% of the items analysed were either non-compliant with regulations or deemed dangerous.
Despite the increased enforcement measures, Lacoche said the scale of incoming shipments meant authorities could not prevent every non-compliant package from entering through customs.
During discussions with industry representatives and EU member states on consumer protection rules, Lacoche urged regulators to adopt a tougher stance on what she described as “big infringements” of digital and consumer legislation.
She added that inadequate enforcement risked creating unfair competition for platforms adhering to the rules.
Under EU rules introduced in 2022, authorities can impose penalties of up to 4% of a trader’s annual turnover within the relevant member state for widespread breaches.
The European Commission has already launched a formal investigation into Shein over alleged violations, including the sale of childlike sex dolls and platform features considered addictive.
Separately, Temu is under investigation under the Digital Services Act over allegations linked to the sale of illegal goods.
Responding to the EU investigation, Shein previously said it had “always fully co-operated with the European Commission” and was already addressing concerns raised by Brussels.
The European Commission has also informed both companies that aspects of their business practices breach EU consumer protection laws and warned that national regulators could take enforcement measures if compliance failures continue.
