Shein Summoned Before French Parliament Amid Child-Like Sex Dolls Scandal
France threatens to ban Shein and summons the company to parliament following the sale of illegal child-like sex dolls, while also probing buyers and e-commerce controls.
- • Economy Minister Roland Lescure warned Shein may be banned if pedopornographic dolls reappear on its platform.
- • Shein is to be summoned before French deputies within 15 days for inquiries into product controls and supply chain transparency.
- • Sarah El Haïry will investigate buyers through social inquiries due to high rates of intrafamilial sexual violence.
- • A meeting with e-commerce platforms is planned to tighten regulations on such illegal products.
Key details
The French government is intensifying its response to the discovery of pedopornographic dolls sold on Shein's platform. Economy Minister Roland Lescure announced the possibility of banning Shein in France if the company repeats the sale of such illegal items, emphasizing that for crimes such as pedopornographic offenses, the government can restrict market access. Shein claims to have removed these controversial dolls from its website.
Antoine Vermorel-Marques, leading a parliamentary mission on imported product controls, confirmed that Shein will be summoned within fifteen days to answer detailed questions about supply chain transparency and internal controls. This comes as Shein plans to open a physical store in Paris shortly, a move the government sees with concern amid legal scrutiny.
In addition, Sarah El Haïry, High Commissioner for Children, called for tougher oversight not only of platforms but also the buyers of these dolls. She announced plans for social investigations into households of convicted buyers, highlighting that 70% of sexual violence occurs within families. El Haïry classified these dolls as pedocriminal objects and affirmed that their sale and purchase are illegal under French law. She also noted that the judiciary may request buyer identities from Shein and other platforms, despite some reluctance to share data.
A meeting with representatives of various e-commerce platforms is scheduled to discuss enhancing regulatory controls to protect children. The government is clearly signaling a zero-tolerance approach and pushing for accountability throughout the supply and distribution chain involved in this troubling case.