Periodically denounced for promoting ultra-ephemeral fashion, Shein has been reported to French justice for the marketing of sex dolls with child pornography, which have been removed from its platform, according to the Asian e-commerce giant.
A few days before Shein opened its first permanent physical store in Paris, the Anti-Fraud Agency (DGCCRF) announced this Saturday, November 1, that it had reported to the courts the sale of “childlike sex dolls” after verifying their presence on the e-commerce site.
The DGCCRF informs the courts
The events were reported “immediately” to the Public Ministry, as well as to the audiovisual and digital communications regulator, Arcom.
According to a source from the Ministry of Economy, the file is in the hands of the Paris prosecutor’s office. Contacted by AFP, the latter did not immediately respond. The Minister of Commerce, Serge Papin, indicated in X that “the State will not weaken to protect the French.”
On its website, Le Parisien publishes a photograph of one of these dolls that presents the body and features of a girl, holding a teddy bear, as well as the explicitly sexual description that accompanies it. The dolls are 80 centimeters tall.
“There are even comments from buyers,” says Alice Vilcot-Dutarte, spokesperson for the DGCCRF, quoted by the newspaper.
“A report was sent to the platform suggesting that it quickly implement appropriate measures,” indicates the DGCCRF. This includes deleting the relevant site and product category pages.
“A policy of zero tolerance”
In a reaction sent to BFMTV, Shein stated that “the products in question were immediately removed from the platform as soon as we became aware of these significant flaws” and that “Shein applies a zero-tolerance policy regarding any content or product that contravenes our internal policies or applicable laws.”
“We take this situation very seriously,” said Shein spokesperson Quentin Ruffat before adding: “This type of content is completely unacceptable and goes against all the values we stand for. We are taking immediate corrective action and strengthening our internal systems to prevent a situation like this from happening again.”
The Anti-Fraud Crackdown also reported the absence of “filtering measures” that “effectively” prevent minors from accessing marketing content for adult-looking sex dolls.
Up to seven years in prison
Repression of Fraud recalls that the dissemination of child pornographic representations is punishable by penalties of up to seven years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros. And the absence of filtering measures of up to three years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros.
Shein, a company with Chinese roots that has conquered the global fast fashion market, has been progressively consolidating itself in the online commerce landscape since its arrival in France in 2015.
The company has become the fashion brand where the French will spend the most in 2024, according to a study by the Joko shopping application. But it is also periodically accused of unfair competition, environmental pollution or undignified working conditions.
Shein arrives at BHV
Beset by a bill against the rise of ultra-ephemeral and disposable fashion, Shein was fined three times this year in France, for a total of 191 million euros, for non-compliance with legislation on online cookies, false promotions, misleading information and for not having declared the presence of plastic microfibers in its products.
Provoking outrage, the Asian giant plans to open its first permanent physical store on Wednesday in BHV, the historic department store in Paris, in a space of more than 1,000 m2.
With the Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), owner of BHV since 2023, it will invest in five other stores in the coming weeks, in the Galeries Lafayette in Dijon, Reims, Grenoble, Angers and Limoges. This marriage with Shein pushed several French brands to leave BHV.
Source: BFM TV
