Paris, November 3, 2025 – Total News Agency-TNA – The French government issued a stern warning to the Asian e-commerce giant SHEIN: if it repeats the commercialization of products with a criminal appearance—particularly sex dolls with a childlike appearance—it could lose its access to the national market. France is acting as a vanguard in the surveillance of global digital platforms, and the threat of market exclusion could set a precedent in the regulation of e-commerce, imported products, and the responsibilities of large platforms regarding illegal or harmful content. For Shein, the situation represents a triple challenge: first, to safeguard its access to one of the major European markets; second, to restore trust with investors, regulators, and consumers; third, to renegotiate its business strategy after previous fines, including a 150-million-euro sanction for cookies without informed consent and another 40 million for deceptive business practices. On the legal front, the case could lead to investigations into the liability of platforms that allow the sale of content and products easily accessible to minors, as well as into the ability of states to impose sanctions and blocking measures. Minister Lescure warned that French law authorizes the prohibition of access when there is child pornographic material, and emphasized that “these horrible objects are illegal, there will be a judicial investigation.” The New York-based company has not yet issued a detailed statement in France regarding the consequences of the incident, although it has already anticipated that it is joining these efforts to remove products and improve controls. Minister of Economy, Roland Lescure, pointed out that French legislation provides for extreme measures for cases linked to child pornography, drug trafficking, or terrorism. The focus of the scandal is on an alert from the DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Repression), which identified on Shein's platform “sex dolls with a childlike appearance” and other pornographic products without adequate access filters for minors. However, the French Executive warned that if similar conduct is repeated, it will have the “right to request the prohibition of access to the French market” for the company. The seriousness of the situation lies in both the nature of the objects and the business context of the company. This accusation worsens Shein's position by placing the company at the intersection of bulk e-commerce, state oversight, and social responsibility. The potential blocking of the French market also has broader implications for the European space. Regulatory sources estimate that oversight will expand to other platforms of Chinese origin due to suspicions of similar practices. The outcome of this dispute will not only determine Shein's future in France but could also alter the balance between global digital trade, national regulators, and the protection of minors. The descriptions and classification of this content were considered by the agency to be “hard to doubt that they constitute child pornography.” Upon detection of the products, Shein assured that it had immediately removed the questioned items and had launched an internal investigation. The announcement generated a tense atmosphere between defenders of sustainable fashion and the emergence of business models that mix fast fashion, globalization, and controversial regulations. The DGCCRF alert is not limited to the products mentioned; it also warns about the commercialization of adult sex dolls without effective filters that prevent access by minors or vulnerable audiences. Meanwhile, the fashion and e-commerce sector is closely watching this episode that transcends the commercial and moves into the realm of digital governance, corporate ethics, and state content control. Shein disclosed its first physical store in Paris, within the BHV Marais department store, and this coincided with a reaction from French suppliers who withdrew their products in protest.
