The European Consumer Protection Network (CPC network), bringing together European national consumer protection authorities, has criticized the Chinese online commerce site Temu for a number of “questionable practices” which infringe European consumer law.
A notification was sent to the platform, following an investigation coordinated by the European Commission.
Among the problematic practices, the CPC network highlights “messages falsely indicating to the consumer that they benefit from discounts on products, or that the products are almost sold out, thus unduly influencing the consumer’s purchasing decision”.
The network also talks about information “false and incomplete concerning the right of withdrawal and refunds, erroneous information on verifying the authenticity of reviews, absence of an effective system for contacting the site for questions or complaints, or even information essential which are not immediately revealed to the buyer, such as the requirement of a minimum value to finalize the purchase, or the conditions of a ‘wheel of fortune’ which must be played before accessing the platform “.
European national consumer protection authorities have called on Temu to bring these practices into line with European Union consumer protection legislation and to provide additional information.
The network’s survey covers a wide range of practices consumers encounter when shopping on Temu, including those that may “mislead consumers or unduly influence their purchasing decisions”
The CPC Network is also investigating whether Temu complies with the specific information obligations imposed on online marketplaces under consumer law.
Temu now has one month to respond to the CPC network’s findings and offer commitments on how they will address the identified consumer law issues.
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