The $5 Top That Costs More Than You Think: Chinese Temu and the Forced-Labour Blind Spot

Temu might be grossing billions in sales in Australia with its cheap, eclectic range of goods. But at what cost?

Chinese e-commerce company Temu displayed on a mobile phone in front the company's website, in Brussels, on Nov. 4, 2024. Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images

Almost every Australian has had the ads pop up while browsing the internet—the online retailer Temu, advertising its wares on the most popular platforms.

The formula seems almost too good to be true: cheap products and postage, attractive and practical designs, often at much cheaper prices than local stores.