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The EU has opened an investigation into Shein over childlike sex dolls and concerns about illegal products and “addictive design,” targeting the online fashion retailer under the bloc’s Digital Services Act. The move comes as Shein prepares to expand into several regional department stores in France.
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The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it had launched a formal probe into Shein, focusing on the sale of illegal goods and the platform’s recommendation systems.
The investigation is the commission’s first into Shein under the Digital Services Act, known as the DSA.
Regulators said they were investigating the sale of illegal products “including child sexual abuse material,” as well as unsafe or non-compliant goods such as weapons, toys, clothing, cosmetics and electronics.
The commission said it would also examine what it described as a “lack of transparency” in Shein’s recommender systems.
“In the EU, illegal products are banned from sale, whether in a shop or online,” said Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s vice-president for digital policy.
Shein, founded in China in 2012 and now based in Singapore, said it would cooperate with the commission.
“We share the commission’s objective of ensuring a safe and trusted online environment and will continue to engage constructively on this procedure,” the company said in a statement.
Shein opens first store in Paris as scandal and criticism mount
Pressure from France
Shein faced greater scrutiny in November after French authorities condemned the company for featuring sex dolls resembling children.
Following the uproar in France, Shein said it immediately removed the products and banned sex dolls from its site worldwide, regardless of appearance.
Brussels moved towards opening the case in recent weeks under pressure from France after illegal products were discovered on the platform in late October. French ministers for the economy, trade and digital affairs welcomed the EU action.
“The voice of France has been heard,” the ministers said in a joint statement, adding they hoped “this procedure can be carried through to the end and quickly”.
France has also asked the courts to block Shein’s third-party seller section, known as its marketplace. The court is due to rule on that request on 19 March.
In the coming weeks, Shein is set to open in five regional BHV stores owned by SGM, the regional newspaper Ouest-France reported. The stores will located in Dijon, Reims, Grenoble, Angers and Limoges.
Plans to open in Le Mans and Orléans are not expected immediately because of a lack of space to display the retailer’s products.
According to a survey by the French Fashion Institute published Thursday, 38 percent of French consumers bought clothing from ultra-fast-fashion platforms such as Shein, Temu or AliExpress in 2025 – attracted by low prices, product variety and available sizes.
France urges EU to crack down on online seller Shein over illicit products
Addictive by design
“Addictive features could have a negative impact on users’ well-being and consumer protection online,” the European Commission warned.
An EU official said regulators suspected Shein had underestimated the risk in its own assessment.
“We have a suspicion Shein underestimated [this] in the risk assessment and also didn’t put proportionate measures in place to tackle this particular risk,” the official said.
The commission said the opening of formal proceedings did not prejudge the outcome and set no deadline for the probe. Shein can offer commitments to try to satisfy the EU’s concerns.
Shein is among more than 20 “very large” online platforms that must comply with the DSA.
Companies that breach the rules risk fines of up to 6 percent of global turnover or even a ban for serious and repeated violations.
(with newswires)
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