France demands tougher EU action on fast-fashion giants Shein, Temu

France is intensifying its campaign against ultra-fast fashion platforms by urging European Commission to speed up and toughen enforcement measures against Shein and Temu, accusing the companies of flooding the European market with dangerous and non-compliant products.

French officials say the rise of ultra-fast fashion — built around rapid product turnover and mass consumption — is creating mounting consumer safety and environmental concerns across Europe, as reported by the Financial Times.

Sarah Lacoche, head of France’s competition and consumer protection authority, said regulators need to take a tougher approach toward what she described as major breaches of digital and consumer protection laws.

“We’re very much waiting to see what the outcome of investigations will be and whether there will be sanctions because I think that’s how we can really seize hold of this matter,” Lacoche told the outlet

Brussels has already introduced new legislation aimed at strengthening consumer protections and is currently investigating several online retail platforms, including Shein and Temu.

In February, the European Commission launched a formal probe into Shein over alleged violations of EU digital platform rules, including claims linked to “addictive design” features and the sale of controversial products such as childlike sex dolls.

At the time, Shein said it had “always fully co-operated with the European Commission” and was investing heavily in compliance with the Digital Services Act.

According to Lacoche, the proportion of dangerous or non-compliant products found on major Asian e-commerce platforms far exceeds levels seen on other online marketplaces.

“We’ve got a rate of non-conformity and dangerousness of these products that remains far too important,” she said. “I’m not saying that there aren’t nonconforming and dangerous products on other platforms, but not to this degree.”

French authorities have significantly expanded product inspections over the past year after discovering items such as childlike sex toys and weapons being sold through online marketplaces.

France has reportedly tripled the number of tests carried out on foreign e-commerce platforms since 2025. Since April that year, more than 100,000 products have been removed from online marketplaces in France after authorities found that 46% of inspected goods were either non-compliant or dangerous.

Products flagged by regulators included unsafe children’s toys, electronics with potentially explosive batteries and hairdryers prone to overheating.

Under EU rules agreed in 2022, companies found responsible for widespread consumer law violations can face fines of up to 4% of annual turnover within the affected member state.

Brussels is also separately investigating Temu over allegations linked to the sale of illegal products under the Digital Services Act framework.

Lacoche told the Financial Times that existing European laws are already strong enough to address the issue but argued that regulators must enforce them far more aggressively.

She also warned that weak enforcement creates unfair competition for companies that comply with European regulations.

Brussels stalls France's historic legislation

France has emerged as one of Europe’s most aggressive critics of ultra-fast fashion, a business model centered on constantly releasing large volumes of low-cost clothing collections throughout the year.

Critics argue the model encourages overconsumption, generates huge amounts of textile waste and places pressure on manufacturers to cut costs and safety standards.

In 2024, the French National Assembly approved a bill aimed at reducing the textile industry’s environmental impact. The proposal, which subsequently was approved the next year by the Senate, included an “ecological penalty” imposing additional fees on products associated with high environmental costs during production. The measure was welcomed by environmental groups and many consumers, though implementation remains stalled at the European Commission level as of 2026.

By Nazrin Sadigova