France Intensifies Legal Pressure on Shein Over Sale of Childlike Sex Dolls

French authorities have escalated the investigation into Shein following the discovery of sex dolls with childlike features being sold on its platform. The Paris prosecutor's office has assigned four inquiries to its Office of Minors, targeting Shein and other major e-commerce platforms like AliExpress, Temu, and Wish for distributing content deemed pedopornographic and accessible to minors. These investigations were prompted by warnings from the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), which highlighted serious concerns over the presence of explicit sexual content and the lack of effective age-verification measures on these sites.

In response, Shein has removed all listings related to sexual dolls and temporarily delisted its entire adult products category. The company also committed to cooperating fully with the judiciary by providing names and contact details of French customers who purchased these controversial items if requested. However, Shein acknowledged internal governance failures in vetting third-party sellers, as the accused products were not directly produced by Shein.

Amidst mounting criticism, Economy Minister Robert Lescure warned that "boundaries have been crossed" and threatened to block Shein's operations in France should similar incidents recur. This stance is underscored by French laws that require removal of illegal content within 24 hours, with failure potentially leading to access blockage by internet service providers. Shein, which is poised to open its first permanent store in Paris at BHV, faces not only legal challenges but also growing political and merchant opposition.

Sarah El Haïry, France’s High Commissioner for Children, condemned both the sale and the buyers, calling for thorough investigations into purchasers of such pedocriminal objects. Shein’s spokesperson, Quentin Ruffat, emphasized the company’s commitment to removing unacceptable products and implementing safeguards to prevent future incidents. The controversy adds to Shein's ongoing difficulties, as it has previously been fined €191 million for regulatory breaches in France.