Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein is facing one of its fiercest political storms yet in Europe after French authorities threatened to block the company's platform over the alleged sale of sex dolls with "childlike" features. The controversy erupted just days before Shein is set to open its first-ever physical store in Paris, intensifying France's growing backlash against the retailer's aggressive expansion.
France's anti-fraud agency, the DGCCRF, said it discovered dolls "with a childlike appearance" for sale on Shein's French website, describing the listings as "pedopornographic in nature." Finance Minister Roland Lescure swiftly condemned the discovery, warning on BFMTV, "I want to be very clear: If these behaviors are repeated, we will be entitled to... ban access to the French market for the Shein platform. These horrible objects are illegal."
Shein responded by announcing an immediate "complete ban on all sex-doll products," removing every related item and image from its site. The company told CNN that its adult products category had been "temporarily delisted while a comprehensive review was carried out." Donald Tang, Shein's executive chairman, stated that the "fight against child exploitation is non-negotiable for SHEIN."
In a separate statement, the company said, "Such content is completely unacceptable and goes against everything we stand for. We are taking immediate corrective actions and reinforcing our internal controls to prevent this from happening again." Despite the swift response, prosecutors in Paris have launched a criminal investigation into Shein and other platforms - including Temu, AliExpress, and Wish - for allegedly hosting or disseminating illegal material online.
The timing could hardly be worse for Shein. The company, which has faced repeated accusations of tax evasion, labor exploitation, and data violations, is preparing to open a permanent concession inside Paris's iconic BHV department store this week. The launch has already triggered boycotts by French brands and protests from local workers. More than 20 companies have severed ties with BHV over its partnership with Shein, while Disneyland Paris canceled a planned holiday display at the store.
Former French commerce minister Véronique Louwagie has led efforts to block the retailer's expansion. "Shein impacts the vitality of our regions, destroys jobs and destroys shops," she told Reuters. The company's low-cost pricing model, enabled by a customs exemption on small e-commerce imports, has become a flashpoint among French lawmakers, who accuse Shein of "dumping" cheap goods that undermine domestic retailers.
Galeries Lafayette, initially slated to host several Shein outlets through a partnership with Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), announced that it was ending its franchise agreement. "We believe in Shein's project," SGM director Karl-Stéphane Cottendin said in a BFM TV interview, acknowledging the backlash but emphasizing that the brand commands "24-25 million consumers in France."
The French government has been unusually forceful in policing Shein. Regulators have already fined the company €190 million for misleading discounts and data privacy breaches - the highest total among any country. Meanwhile, lawmakers are finalizing a fast-fashion reform law that could ban Shein from advertising and impose per-item penalties on its ultra-low-cost model.
Under the proposed legislation, platforms adding more than 1,000 new products per day - a hallmark of Shein's "on-demand" production strategy - would face new environmental and consumer protections. Shein has lobbied against the bill, arguing it would "hurt consumers" and raise prices. Yet France's determination to curb what officials call "irresponsible commerce" has only grown stronger, as Lescure and others pledge to "mobilize all together to defend ourselves."
