France urges the European Union to take stronger action against online platforms like Shein and Temu due to their sale of “dangerous” Chinese products. French government departments have once again warned consumers to be especially cautious when shopping on platforms outside the EU.
Sarah Lacoche, Director-General of Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) in France, recently stated that the proportion of products with safety hazards sold on Asian platforms like Shein is much higher compared to other online platforms. She mentioned in an interview with the Financial Times that the list of problematic products identified by French regulatory authorities includes hairdryers at risk of overheating, toys posing suffocation risks, batteries with explosion hazards, and children’s products containing toxic substances.
On May 6, DGCCRF reiterated to consumers, “Please be especially careful when shopping online, particularly on platforms outside the EU!”
According to information released on the DGCCRF website, at the request of DGCCRF and other national consumer protection agencies, major e-commerce platforms collectively removed 52 dangerous products in April this year. From September 2025 to March 2026, a total of 257 products have been removed, averaging 37 items per month. Relevant notices of removal and recalls have been issued on the EU’s “Safety Gate” product safety alert system website, the European version of the “RappelConso” consumer alert platform for recall announcements, and simultaneously published on the DGCCRF website.
DGCCRF pointed out that the majority of non-compliant products are manufactured in China, including children’s toys, electrical products, children’s clothing, and personal items. After testing or analysis, these products were found to pose risks of burns, injuries, drowning, or chemical contamination to users. These products have been removed from identified platforms, including Shein, Temu, AliExpress, eBay, and Amazon.
Over the past year, France has doubled the number of online random sampling inspections conducted on overseas e-commerce platforms. The inspection results revealed that 75% of tested products in 2025 did not meet EU standards, with 46% of these non-compliant products identified as having safety hazards. These non-compliant products have been reported to the respective platforms, and over 100,000 items have been tagged and removed.
Although all involved platforms are obligated to notify consumers who purchased these products, other e-commerce platforms must also remove related items. Yet, certain products from the same batch or similar products could still be sold on some platforms, posing potential risks. Therefore, DGCCRF urges consumers to remain vigilant and report any dangerous consumer products proactively.
The French Senate passed the “Anti-Fast Fashion Law” last year to curb the spread of “ultra-fast fashion,” which is believed to primarily target Shein and Temu.
Shein, founded in Nanjing, China in 2008 by Chris Xu, is a cross-border e-commerce company known for its “ultra-fast fashion.” Shein focuses on low prices, rapid product releases, social media/TikTok-style marketing, and “small orders quick replenishment” strategy, producing small quantities initially to test the market and rapidly restocking popular items.
While Shein has decentralized its operations in recent years by relocating its headquarters to Singapore and internationalizing its executive team, its supply chain is still based in China, and its products are mainly exported from there. Apart from product safety concerns, other issues associated with Shein include alleged counterfeiting, environmental pollution, and addictive design algorithms.
France’s “Anti-Fast Fashion Law” requires environmental ratings for each clothing item, considering factors like carbon emissions, resource consumption, microplastics, recyclability, and production methods, and imposes environmental fines on low-scoring items, starting at €5 per piece and rising to €10 by 2030, with a cap set at 50% of the item’s selling price. Additionally, the law includes advertising restrictions prohibiting collaborations with influencers to promote products.
Before the final approval of France’s “Anti-Fast Fashion Law,” it must inform the European Commission to ensure compliance with EU laws. The EU believes that France cannot unilaterally establish special regulations targeting e-commerce platforms, as it may contradict EU principles like the single market.