France’s Court of Appeal in Paris rejected the state’s bid to suspend Chinese online retailer Shein’s marketplace.
The decision upholds a December ruling that had already refused the government’s request, after the state appealed.
The legal action followed a consumer watchdog finding in November 2025 that sex dolls resembling children, as well as banned weapons, were being offered for sale on the Shein website.
French authorities initially sought a full ban on Shein’s website. That position was later narrowed to a request to suspend only the marketplace component.
Shein sells its own branded clothing on its platform while also hosting a marketplace where third-party sellers list products across multiple categories, from kitchen appliances to smartphones.
After the watchdog findings, Shein suspended its marketplace in France. It reopened the service after the December ruling.
In a statement yesterday (19 March), the court said: "The appeals court confirmed the [December] judgment in all its dispositions, and rejected the other demands presented by the State."
The court also upheld conditions requiring that Shein must not allow such items to be sold again on its marketplace without adequate age-verification measures.
Following the ruling, the government said in a statement it would be "extremely vigilant" in ensuring Shein implements the court-ordered conditions.
A Shein spokesperson said the company has stopped allowing third-party sellers to list sex dolls in any of its markets and is introducing age-verification measures for other products.
Shein said in a statement: "Over the last several months, we have continued to significantly reinforce our controls for both sellers and products on our marketplace, to ensure that our consumers in France can enjoy a safe and enjoyable online shopping experience."
The company also said it has maintained a "close dialogue" with French and European authorities, and is engaging with the European Commission on age-verification measures "being gradually rolled out across a number of markets globally".
Separately, the European Union opened a formal investigation last month into Shein under the Digital Services Act, focusing on illegal products and the platform’s potentially addictive design.
