Singapore-headquartered fast-fashion online brand Shein is facing a €1m ($1.15m) fine for making misleading environmental claims online to promote and sell its branded clothing products.
The fine, imposed by the Italian Competition Authority, targets Infinite Styles Services, the company responsible for managing Shein’s product trading websites in Europe.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The authority found that Shein’s environmental assertions in the #SHEINTHEKNOW section, including claims about a “circular system” and product recyclability, were either false or confusing.
The promotion of the evoluSHEIN by Design line was also criticised for implying that garments were made from entirely “sustainable” materials and were fully recyclable. This does not align with the reality of the fibres used and current recycling capabilities.
Shein’s statements about reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 and achieving zero emissions by 2050 were deemed “vague and generic”, and are contradicted by an actual increase in Shein’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 and 2024.
The authority said in the statement: “Through its website https://it.shein.com and other promotional and/or informational online pages, the company disseminated environmental claims within the sections #SHEINTHEKNOW, evoluSHEIN and Social Responsibility that were, in some instances, vague, generic, and/or overly emphatic, and in others, misleading or omissive.”
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataGiving its decision, the authority highlighted the significant duty of care required from Shein, especially as it operates in the highly polluting “disposable fashion” sector.
in July 2025, Shein was fined €40m by France’s consumer watchdog for misleading pricing tactics – one of the largest penalties imposed under the country’s regulations targeting deceptive online retail practices.
In the same month, the authority also fined fashion giant Giorgio Armani and its unit GA Operations €3.5m ($4m) for engaging in deceptive commercial practices.
