A French court ruled that suspending Shein’s website over the sale of illicit products was disproportionate, rejecting the government’s request to block the platform for three months.
The government had sought the suspension after the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control found that Shein was selling sex dolls resembling children and banned weapons on its marketplace.
While the court acknowledged serious harm to public order, it deemed the sales sporadic and noted that the products had been removed. The court issued an injunction preventing Shein from resuming sales of sexual products without implementing age-verification measures.
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Shein is expected to gradually reinstate its marketplace in France, though the adult-only category remains closed due to age verification challenges. Shein’s clothing site remained accessible throughout the dispute.
The French government announced plans to appeal the decision, citing systemic risks posed by Shein’s business model. Shein responded, emphasizing its commitment to enhancing control processes in collaboration with authorities.
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The ruling coincides with the EU’s recent decision to impose a 3-euro duty on low-value imports from July 2026 to address surges in small parcel imports via sites like Shein and Temu.
