Shein on censored in France. Paris wants to suspend the platform

The French government announced on Wednesday that it has initiated the procedure to suspend the operations of the Shein online platform until it demonstrates that it operates in accordance with French regulations. The decision is related to the recent scandal involving Shein selling sex dolls that look like children.

“At the request of the Prime Minister, the government has initiated the procedure of suspending Shein for as long as necessary for the platform to demonstrate to the authorities that all its content is finally in compliance with our laws and regulations,” the Ministry of Economy in Paris said in a statement.

The Chinese platform announced that it is temporarily suspending the sale of goods from external producers in France, i.e. the so-called marketplace.marketplace. However, according to the AFP agency, which cited a source close to the case, this decision was made regardless of the actions of the French government. Shein decided to do this – as he assures – because of “concerns” caused by certain offers from external producers.

Since Sunday, the Paris prosecutor's office has been investigating the case of child-like sex dolls that were sold through Shein. The platform withdrew them on Sunday. Economy Minister Richard Lescure threatened to ban Shein if such goods were offered again.

Shein spokesman in France, Quentin Ruffat, said the platform would make every effort to cooperate with investigators, including providing the names of the sellers of the dolls and the customers who purchased them.

At the same time, the French authorities are checking whether other platforms: Temu, AliExpress and Wish have not broken the law by allowing minors to gain access to pornographic content thanks to these offers.

So far, three fines have been imposed on Shein in France, for a total amount of EUR 191 million, in connection with, among others, with false promotions and failure to comply with the Internet cookie policy.

The scandal coincides with the opening of the world's first stationary Shein store, which opened on Wednesday in Paris, in the building of the prestigious BHV department store, opposite the Paris City Hall. This was criticized by French producers; The Chinese platform is accused of destroying the textile sector and small producers by offering “fast fashion”.

A representative of the employers' organization Impact France, Pascal Demurger, said BHV had “let the wolf into the fold” and warned that “low cost” goods meant unemployment. However, Frederic Merlin, head of SGM, which owns the prestigious department store, argued that Shein has 25 million customers in France.

From Paris Anna Wróbel (PAP)

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