On Wednesday (November 26), the French government announced that it will file legal proceedings against the e-commerce platforms AliExpress and Joom, accusing them of selling sexualized child-like dolls. At the same time, fast-fashion e-commerce giant Shein is awaiting a court decision on a three-month ban in France. Other e-commerce platforms such as Pinduoduo’s overseas version Temu, Wish, among others, are also under investigation for selling illegal products.
According to the Financial Times, French Minister of Trade Serge Papin stated in an interview with TF1 television on Wednesday that the French government is taking legal action against the Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress and the Latvian e-commerce platform Joom for selling sexualized child-like dolls.
Papin emphasized that this is a fight to protect consumers, children, and teenagers. He said, “It is time to end the ‘wild west of the digital realm,’ we are engaged in a long battle. This is not just Sheen’s issue.”
AliExpress is owned by the Chinese technology group Alibaba, while Joom is a multinational e-commerce and fintech conglomerate established in June 2016, headquartered in Riga, Latvia, with offices in mainland China, Hong Kong, the United States, Germany, and Luxembourg.
Apart from these two platforms, Temu, Wish, eBay, and others are also under investigation for selling illegal products on their platforms. These illegal products include large axes, knuckle dusters, categorized as “Class A” weapons, as well as pornographic items accessible to minors.
Recent months have seen a wave of boycotts and protests against Chinese e-commerce platforms, with Shein at the forefront, by European businesses and the public.
On November 19, dozens of major retail brands and industry associations in France collectively filed the first large-scale lawsuit against Shein in French commercial history. The French Retail Association strongly opposes the unfair competition brought by these companies violating French and European regulations.
The opening of Shein’s first physical store in Paris also sparked controversy. On the opening day, while attracting numerous shoppers, protesters also gathered outside the store.
The Christmas activities of Shein’s physical store partner BHV department store were restricted by the local government. As a flagship company of the French department store group SGM, Paris BHV department store was prohibited from holding outdoor Christmas events such as Christmas tree and decoration displays, differing from previous practices.
Papin stated, “This is a battle where we need to adopt some level of protectionism because China (the CCP) and the United States are also against hyper-liberal market policies. We cannot be the only country not protecting ourselves.”
The French government lawyers demanded a three-month suspension of Shein’s business in France, citing its sale of illegal products and failure to change practices. The court is expected to make a decision in the coming days.
The platform’s market has been temporarily shut down in recent weeks. Papin revealed that the government is also considering imposing a permanent ban on Shein.
France has been pushing for action against these e-commerce platforms at the EU level, achieving some success. The tariff exemption for low-value parcels arriving in the EU is gradually being phased out. In addition, European legislators recently approved stricter toy standards.