On the App Store, it ranks third among the most popular shopping apps in France, behind Vinted and Temu, but ahead of Amazon. Despite its popularity, the Shein platform is highlighted by 60 Millions de Consommateurs magazine this December 28, as part of the distribution of “Golden Cactus 2023”. The monthly magazine thus points out the companies whose practices are most questionable.
Shein, which adds about 7,000 new items every day according to a Friends of the Earth count, is accused of “deadly overproduction.” This production would emit between 15,000 and 20,000 tons of CO2 every day, according to the same source. In total, nearly 500,000 references are offered to users around the world.
“Modern slavery” and dangerous products?
In its ranking, the magazine cites the opening of a procedure against the Chinese giant by the French cell of the OECD, following the report by French deputies and MEPs of the delegation of the social and ecological left, who compared the activity of the company with “modern slavery.”
In 2021, the Swiss NGO Public Eye was already warning about the working conditions of the company’s numerous subcontractors, with work days of up to 75 hours per week, with only one day off per month. And this is completely illegal, while China imposes – in theory – a maximum limit of 40 hours of work per week.
At the same time, Shein is also closely followed by the DCCRF, as Bruno Le Maire announced on June 28. Bercy wants to shed light on the production conditions of millions of the brand’s garments to determine if they are dangerous for customers. The possibility of deceptive trade practices, such as showing prices different from those actually charged, was also raised.
Source: BFM TV
