A Paris court has rejected the French government’s request to suspend Chinese online retail platform Shein for three months.
However, the court issued a clear injunction against the judgment. Shein will not be allowed to resume selling “adult products that may constitute pornographic content” unless it first implements a reliable age verification mechanism.
The decision came after a scandal erupted in which the platform was found to be selling highly controversial products such as child-like sex dolls, weapons such as brass knuckles and machetes, and banned drugs, sparking widespread concern from French authorities and consumer protection groups.
The judges ruled that the proposed action to suspend the platform was “disproportionate”, especially given that Shein had removed illegal products identified by authorities.
Despite the blow to the government, Shein’s online platform in France will not be restarted immediately, a company spokesperson insisted.
An internal audit is currently underway to identify weaknesses in the platform’s marketplace operations.
In its ruling, the court acknowledged the existence of “serious harm to public order and morals” caused by the sale of illegal products.
However, the court concluded that these sales were “isolated incidents” and noted that the products had since been withdrawn.
During the hearing, Shane’s lawyer denounced a “witch hunt” in politics and the media.
“The problem with Shein and Tem goes beyond these specific products. It’s an entire business model that violates consumer rights, destroys businesses and jobs, and tramples on human rights, including environmental protection,” Paris senator Marie-Claire Carrerge, from the conservative RΓ©publique party, said in an emailed statement to Euronews.
The legal and political battle is not over yet.
A criminal investigation was opened by the Paris public prosecutor’s office and assigned to the French Department for the Protection of Minors. The investigation also targets other e-commerce platforms such as AliExpress, Temu, Wish, and eBay.
The battle is also playing out at the European level, with France pushing for stricter rules for foreign online platforms.
In Brussels, the European Commission has already requested information from Shein but has not opened an investigation, but it is investigating AliExpress and Tem.