Retail trade EU takes action against Shein - customers deceived
The shopping portal Shein has to improve its consumer protection due to breaches of EU regulations. The accusation is that customers are being misled by missing or misleading information.
26.05.2025, 15:04
26.05.2025, 15:05
SDA
Shein must now submit suggestions for improvement within one month in order to avoid possible penalties. This was announced by the EU Commission and the network of European consumer protection authorities (CPC network) on Monday.
The fashion group, which was founded in China and is now based in Singapore, is a manufacturer, retailer and marketplace. Shein offers low prices, but has been criticized for product quality and unfair competitive conditions, among other things.
What are the authorities accusing Shein of?
The authorities cite several practices as examples: Shein, for example, displays discounts that are not based on the original price of the products. In addition, pressure is exerted on consumers by setting artificial purchase deadlines. Shein also made false statements about the sustainability of the products.
In the event of problems and conflicts, there is no easily accessible contact person. The authorities also criticized the handling of the right of exchange. For example, Shein did not provide enough information about this and did not process returns in accordance with EU regulations.
Shein did not respond to the individual accusations in a statement, but referred to "constructive" cooperation with the EU authorities. The company wanted to show that it was committed to complying with EU law. "We will continue to participate in this process to address any concerns," a spokesperson told the German Press Agency.
EU authorities also take action against Temu
The EU authorities are thus further expanding their action against Asian mail order companies. The EU Commission and the CPC network already called on the Chinese online marketplace Temu to make improvements in November due to similar legal violations. The investigation against Shein was also launched in the same month.
In addition, there are considerations to levy a flat-rate charge of up to two euros for parcels from third countries in the EU in future. This could be used to cover "increased monitoring costs", among other things, according to a paper from the EU Commission. According to the paper, around twelve million parcels arrived in the EU every day last year - significantly more than in the two previous years.
