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The European Union (EU) has issued a stern warning to e-commerce giant Shein, citing a range of practices that violate the bloc’s consumer protection laws and potentially expose the company to significant fines.
The Chinese-founded platform has one month to respond and commit to rectifying issues identified during a February probe conducted by the European Commission in collaboration with consumer authorities from Belgium, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
The European Commission highlighted several deceptive tactics used by Shein, including the use of “false purchase deadlines“ to pressure consumers into quick purchases.
The platform was also found to provide “missing, incorrect, and misleading information” regarding customers’ legal rights for returns and refunds and employed deceptive labels implying special features for products already mandated by law.
Furthermore, Shein was accused of providing false information about the sustainability benefits of its products.
Michael McGrath, the EU’s top consumer protection official, emphasised that “EU consumer protection laws are not optional” and called on Shein to “step up, respect the rules, and bring its practices fully in line with EU consumer standards.”
A Shein spokesperson stated the company is “working constructively” with authorities to address the concerns.
This warning comes as the EU is also preparing to impose a two-euro flat fee on billions of low-value packages entering the bloc annually, a measure that would impact popular platforms like Shein and Temu.
