Shoppers carry bags with promotional merchandise as they visit fashion retailer Shein’s Christmas bus tour, in Manchester, Britain, December 13, 2024. [Reuters/Temilade Adelaja]
The European Commission said in a statement on Thursday that it had asked Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein to provide internal documents and more detailed information on risks linked to the presence of illegal content and goods on its marketplace.
It has also requested Shein to provide detailed information on measures adopted to mitigate risks relating to consumer protection, public health and users’ wellbeing.
The Commission sent the request for information to Shein under the powers granted by the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Commission also asked the Chinese online retail giant about the transparency of its recommender systems, about the access to data for qualified researchers, and it has requested details on the protection of users’ personal data.
Shein must provide this information by February 27, the Commission said, adding that the request for information relates to an ongoing DSA investigation against Shein.
On Wednesday, the Commission said that Shein and fellow Chinese online marketplace Temu will be liable for the sale of unsafe and dangerous products on their platforms, as part of a crackdown against a flood of cheap e-commerce imports into the European Union.
Shein said on Wednesday it would engage with consumer agencies and the Commission to address any concerns and to ensure European consumers can shop online “with peace of mind”.
The measures by the EU executive echo a similar push by the US government that ended a trade provision this week used by retailers, including Temu and Shein, to ship low-value packages duty-free to the United States.
The Commission said its concerns were triggered by some 4.6 billion low-value items below 22 euros ($23) imported into the EU last year, equal to 12 million parcels per day, 91% of which came from China. The 4.6 billion euro figure was double that in 2023. [Reuters]