Shein stays in France. The court rejected the government's request to suspend the site

A court in Paris on Friday ordered Chinese platform Shein to implement age verification for all customers purchasing adult products sold through its French website, but rejected the government's request to suspend Shein's entire website for three months.

Authorities in Paris took action against Shein after the French consumer protection organization DGCCRF discovered in November that child-like sex dolls and weapons restricted in France were being offered through the platform. As a result of the scandal, the platform suspended the sale of goods from external producers in France, i.e. the so-called marketplace, but the Shein website offering its own products was operating all the time. The company also stopped selling sex toys on its marketplaces in other countries.

The court found there was “serious harm to public order, the protection of minors, as well as the health and safety of potential purchasers and third parties”, but noted that the sale was a “one-off” and the platform quickly withdrew the products and there was no evidence of a systematic failure to control, supervise or regulate. Therefore, in the court's opinion, suspending the entire Shein website would be “disproportionate”.

The court ruled that Shein must implement measures to verify the age of customers – beyond a simple declaration – that will prevent minors from accessing pornographic products. He also decided that any violation of this would result in a fine of PLN 10,000. euro. The ruling means that Shein can resume selling in France through the marketplace.

“We welcome this decision. We remain committed to continuously improving our inspection processes, in close cooperation with French authorities, to establish some of the most rigorous standards in the industry, and we are intensifying these efforts. Our priority remains protecting French consumers and ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations,” Shein's spokesman said in a statement.

Christine Cerrada, a lawyer and legal adviser to the French child protection organization L'Enfance au Coeur, said the court's orders were “clearly insufficient.” “From a legal point of view, it is common knowledge that age verification measures are extremely difficult to implement,” she said after the verdict was announced.

Shein, which is a private company, intends to list in Hong Kong after unsuccessful attempts to list on the stock exchanges in New York and London. It had global revenue of $37 billion in 2024, according to the latest financial report from its parent company Roadget Business. (PAP)

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