France is calling on the European Union to intensify enforcement against Shein, Temu, and other Asian online platforms for selling unsafe Chinese-made products including hairdryers prone to overheating, electronic devices with potentially explosive batteries, and teddy bears with dangerous parts, the Financial Times reported. Sarah Lacoche, head of France’s competition and consumer protection authority, said hazardous goods are far more common on Asian e-commerce platforms than other marketplaces, and that since April 2025 French authorities have removed more than 100,000 products from online marketplaces after finding 46% of items analyzed were non-compliant or dangerous, with product testing activity tripled in the past year. Under 2022 EU rules, authorities can impose penalties of up to 4% of a trader’s annual turnover for widespread breaches, and the European Commission has already opened a formal investigation into Shein over alleged sales of childlike sex dolls and addictive platform features, while Temu is under separate Digital Services Act investigation over alleged illegal goods sales.
