Why Shein, the Chinese brand of Fast Fashion, is found in the EU sights

Why Shein, the Chinese brand of Fast Fashion, is found in the EU sights


The European Union is about to open an investigation on Wednesday, against the seller of online clothing Shein suspected of not respecting European law on consumer protection.

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The Shein clothing site offers 900 times more references each year than a traditional clothing brand, which follows the seasons cycle. (Illustration photo, May 9, 2023). (Magali Cohen / Hans Lucas)

The European Union is preparing to launch an in -depth investigation against Shein on Wednesday, February 5. The Chinese online business platform, mainly specialized in textiles, particularly appeals to young consumers with its attractive prices. But it is also, for its detractors, the emblem of the social and environmental drifts of fashion at low prices.

The platform, founded in China in 2012 and whose head office is now in Singapore, is suspected of not sufficiently fighting the sale of illegal products that do not meet European standards.

Last June, the European Commission had already sent him a series of questions on this subject. Do all competition prices hide the use of illegal work? Are the products sold in compliance with European quality standards? What is their carbon footprint? It is the whole economic model of the Shein platform that the European Commission wants to dissect in its investigation.

The socialist MEP François Kalfon applauds its launch, but already calls for a strengthening of European legislation: “The niche they use, a niche, regulatory if I dare say, is the exemption from customs duties below 150 euros in Europe, “he notes.

“If you go to their market platform, we sell you everything and anything below 150 euros.”

MEP François Kalfon

in franceinfo

The elected official specifies: “Some postal actors also tell us that all of this goes into mail in envelopes on which there are no systematic customs controls. In a way, the European Commission should not appear as the cavalry In the westerns that still arrives late when the facts and misdeeds were committed. and that’s the problem. ”

The average purchase baskets, around 60 euros, go under customs radars making quality controls particularly difficult.

The Shein platform, which is said to be open to dialogue with the European Commission, faces heavy fines in the event of proven shortcomings. And TEMU, another e-commerce site of Chinese origin, is also in the crosshairs of the European authorities for similar reasons.

In France, a bill for regulating fast food was passed in the National Assembly on March 14, but its adoption by the Senate was interrupted by the dissolution of June and was not at the agenda since.



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