France says it will ban Shein in row over sex dolls and weapons

The French government has said it will block Shein from operating in the country after childlike sex dolls and a large number of weapons were found for sale on the fast-fashion retailer’s online marketplace.

Interior minister Laurent Nuñez filed a legal request to block Shein’s website on Wednesday “in order to definitively stop the serious harm to public order caused by Shein’s shortcomings”.

The move came after a “large number” of category A weapons were found listed for sale by third-party sellers on Shein’s marketplace, the finance ministry said. These included machetes, axes and brass knuckles, it confirmed.

French authorities on Monday opened an investigation into Shein and three other online marketplaces — Temu, Wish and AliExpress.

While French officials only identified listings for the dolls on marketplaces operated by Shein and AliExpress, all four sites are being investigated for dissemination of violent, pornographic or degrading content accessible by children.

The government on Wednesday said it was “initiating the suspension of Shein for the time necessary for the platform to demonstrate to the authorities that all of its content is finally compliant with our laws and regulations”.

Ministers would provide a first progress report within 48 hours, it added. The European Commission has also been notified.

Finance minister Roland Lescure accused Shein of breaching French and EU laws, and said young people were being “exposed to horrors” on the company’s marketplace.

“It’s disgusting, that’s the only word for it,” Lescure told LCI television.

The move to ban Shein comes amid a growing backlash against the platform, which French politicians have branded an aggressive, low-cost competitor that threatens domestic rivals.

After the government’s announcement on Wednesday, Shein said it had temporarily suspended all marketplace sales in France while it conducted a comprehensive review “to ensure full adherence to French law and the highest standards of consumer protection”.

“We are committed to working with the French authorities to address any concerns swiftly as we have always done,” the company added.

Shein, which is based in Singapore but was founded in China, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the weapons allegations.

The scandal involving sex dolls and weapons overshadowed Wednesday’s opening of Shein’s first permanent shop in central Paris, located in a BHV department store owned by retailer SGM.

The opening attracted protesters bearing signs that read “Protect children. Not Shein” and “Shame on Shein”.

Frédéric Merlin, chief executive of SGM, said: “I’ve been having very firm discussions with Shein’s management since this morning . . . We’re proud of the products we sell here, we’re sure of their quality and origin.”

The furore surrounding the sex dolls and weapons adds to a lengthy list of controversies involving Shein.

The retailer, which sells a constantly changing range of clothes, has been accused of copying the work of independent designers and major brands.

Campaigners have criticised the toll Shein’s business model takes on the environment, and the company confirmed last year that it found examples of child labour in its supply chain.

Meanwhile, Shein’s attempts to list on public markets have run into difficulties in New York and London. The company filed for a Hong Kong initial public offering in July, the Financial Times previously reported.

Shein’s opening of a shop in Paris has also been met with opposition from France’s fashion industry, with several brands pulling their labels from department stores that plan to lease space to the retailer.

Industry leaders and politicians have voiced concerns that Shein’s business model threatens French companies and jobs.

Shein’s model “is based on a rule-circumvention model that has been condemned on multiple occasions by the authorities”, retail alliance Alliance du Commerce said.

MP Emmanuel Grégoire criticised Shein’s model of “exploitation, overproduction and devastating environmental impact”, adding that the platform’s presence in France was “a societal choice and a battle for the future we want to pass on to our children”.

This article has been corrected to clarify that French officials only found childlike sex dolls on marketplaces operated by Shein and AliExpress.