Paris Court Rejects French Government's Request to Suspend Shein Over Prohibited Sales

On December 19, 2025, the Paris judicial tribunal dismissed the French government's request to suspend the Chinese e-commerce platform Shein for three months amid allegations involving the sale of prohibited products including child-like sex dolls and category A weapons. Despite recognizing a "serious damage to public order," the court found these sales to be "punctual" and deemed the suspension request "disproportionate." The platform had responded by promptly removing the flagged items and suspending its marketplace in France, restricting sales to Shein-branded, low-cost synthetic clothing.

The ruling imposed a specific injunction requiring Shein to implement age verification measures before restoring any sales of sexual products possibly classified as pornographic. Shein's lawyers argued during the hearing that the government's actions were influenced by political and media pressure. Meanwhile, the French government expressed dissatisfaction, highlighting that the court's decision did not prevent sales of illegal items like pedopornographic dolls and banned weapons. Consequently, plans for an appeal were announced, driven by concerns over the systemic risks posed by Shein's business model.

In addition to these domestic legal proceedings, the Paris prosecutor has launched a criminal investigation targeting Shein alongside other global platforms such as AliExpress, Temu, Wish, and eBay. On the regulatory front, France is pushing the European Commission for sanctions linked to the Digital Services Act, with Brussels currently gathering information from Shein but without initiating investigations. Furthermore, from July 1, 2026, a new €3 tax on small packages valued under €150 imported into the European Union will take effect, with France considering an additional flat fee between €2 and €5 contingent on budget agreements.

This decision highlights the challenges of enforcing digital marketplace regulations while balancing proportional judicial responses. The case remains under close observation as France seeks to reinforce oversight of cross-border e-commerce platforms.