European commission demands action from Shein for consumer rights violations

Business

Shein’s office in Singapore. Credits: Shein.

The European Commission and various national watchdogs from EU member states are urgently calling on Shein to respect consumer protection laws.

The call follows an investigation by the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC), which concluded that the Chinese retailer Shein was violating several laws. The CPC wants the retailer to correct the actions that are inconsistent with the laws and provide further information to the CPC.

European commission calls on Shein to respect EU consumer protection laws

Shein allegedly offered fake discounts, pressured consumers to buy with false deadlines, provided incorrect and misleading information, mislabelled products, made misleading sustainability claims, and concealed their contact details. All of these things are contrary to EU consumer laws.

Shein now has one month to respond to the results of the investigation and propose a plan to address the abuses. If the abuses are not addressed, national watchdogs will have the opportunity to take action against Shein to enforce compliance. One of these measures is a fine based on the company's turnover in the EU member states.

The national watchdogs of the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Ireland collaborated during the investigation with the help of the European Commission.

Shein responds in writing: Shein is working constructively with national consumer protection authorities and the European Commission to demonstrate its commitment to full compliance with EU regulations. We continue to actively participate in this dialogue to address critical issues and contribute to effective solutions. Our priority is to ensure a safe, reliable and satisfying online shopping experience for our consumers.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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