Several complaints denounce the Chinese online sales platform and application Temu, in Switzerland and in Europe. Aggressive sales techniques, dubious promotions and prices, mediocre quality, environmental impact, Temu raises the hackles of both trade associations and consumer protection associations.
Still unknown a year ago, Temu quickly made a name for itself thanks to an aggressive marketing strategy, including spending $7 million for a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl, the final of the American football championship, and on social networks.
Offering a wide range of products at unbeatable prices, it boasts more than 75 million monthly users in Europe. But behind this dazzling success, the company is under fire from critics.
Temu does not comply with European regulations
Last May, the European Consumers’ Union (BEUC) filed a complaint against the Chinese application because it does not comply with the regulation on digital services, the “Digital Services Act”, which recently came into force and which guarantees seller traceability and prohibits misleading interfaces.
Sébastien Pant, deputy head of communications at BEUC, points out that these practices include the use of larger fonts or specific colors to encourage consumers to choose certain options. He also mentions falsely attractive offers: “For example, purchasing a set of six pans redirected to options where only individual pans were offered, and at prices higher than the initial offer.”
>> Read also: Deception on merchandise and dangers for users on the Temu platform
And this is not the only contentious point. Several consumer associations report the sale of dangerous products that do not comply with safety standards. On this subject, Sébastien Pant adds: “Too often, products do not comply with European standards, are illegal, should not be on sale on the European market and can be dangerous.”
>> Read about it: Finding yourself in court for purchasing an unapproved gadget on Temu
For example? Baby toys with small detachable parts, cosmetics without a full list of ingredients, and even combat knives that can be purchased without age verification. “These are products that can pose serious risks, whether it is suffocation for toys or allergies for cosmetic products,” explains Sébastien Pant.
Immediate product recalls in Switzerland
Switzerland has joined the legal actions against the Chinese platform. The French-speaking Consumer Federation (FRC), the Swiss Retail Federation and the Swiss trade association have filed a complaint with the State Secretariat for the Economy (SECO).
They accuse Temu of misleading advertising highlighted by discounts and crossed out prices which do not reflect reality, as well as misleading information on the availability of products. For its part, the Swiss Toy Association tested 18 products in November 2023. It discovered that 15 of them are not marketable in Switzerland, some even requiring an immediate recall.
>> Review the 7:30 p.m. topic regarding toys on Temu:
Isabelle Fiaux
