France announced that it is suspending access to Shein’s online platform until the company proves that its content conforms with French law on Nov. 5, following a controversy over childlike sex dolls being listed on the Chinese fashion company’s website.
“On the Prime Minister’s instructions, the government is initiating the suspension of Shein for the time necessary for the platform to demonstrate to the authorities that all of its content is finally compliant with our laws and regulations,” Paris’s Finance Ministry said in a statement, adding that a preliminary progress report would be provided within 48 hours.
The announcement from the government came on the same day the retail giant opened its first physical store in the world, in the Parisian department store BHV.
Following the announcement, Shein said in a statement that it would “address any concerns swiftly.”
“We are seeking dialogue with the authorities and government bodies on this issue,” it stated.
It added that it had independently decided to temporarily suspend its marketplace in France to “review and strengthen” how third-party sellers operate on the site.
The Epoch Times contacted Shein for comment but received no response.
Shein, which is headquartered in Singapore but was founded by Chinese billionaire Chris Xu in Nanjing in 2008, is primarily known for shipping cheap fashion products to consumers around the world.
However, the company also sells a large selection of products from third-party vendors on its marketplace.
French authorities have the legal power to order online platforms to remove clearly illegal content such as child pornography within 24 hours, and failure to comply could result in a requirement that internet service providers and search engines block and delist the offending site.
The issue of the childlike sex dolls and allegations over Shein’s environmental and labor record had already drawn protesters out onto the streets of Paris outside the BHV to object to the opening of the physical store.
