France begins the temporary suspension of the Shein website due to the scandal of childlike sex dolls

The French Government began the procedure this Wednesday to temporarily suspend the Chinese e-commerce platform Shein in France until it demonstrates that “all its content complies with the laws and regulations in force” in the country.

“On instructions from the Prime Minister (Sébastien Lecornu), the Government temporarily suspends Shein so that the platform can demonstrate to the authorities that all its content complies with current laws and regulations,” the team of the Minister of Economy and Finance, Roland Lescure, reported in a statement.

Members of Lecornu’s Cabinet will analyze the situation “within 48 hours,” according to the brief note.

Shortly after, Shein announced in a statement that it is suspending the sale in France of products offered by third-party sellers following the scandal over the sale of sex dolls that look like girls.

Shein made this decision “following concerns raised by certain advertisements from independent third-party sellers.”

The French Executive’s decision comes two hours after Shein opened the doors of its first physical store in Paris and just a few days after a scandal broke out in France over the sale on this platform of child-like and hyper-realistic sex dolls, with pedo-pornographic sales pitches.

The Minister of Economy warned last Monday and reiterated yesterday that the Government “will not hesitate” to prohibit the activities of the Chinese platform in France if it was proven that illicit activities had been carried out.

Earlier this week, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into Shein for “dissemination of images or representations of minors of a pornographic nature”, which also affects AliExpress, and for the “dissemination of violent, pornographic or degrading messages accessible to minors”, which in addition to these two platforms also includes the Chinese Temu and the American Wish.

The Asian giant’s store, located on the sixth floor of the emblematic BHV department store, in front of the French capital’s City Hall and a stone’s throw from the Notre-Dame Cathedral, opened its doors at 1:00 p.m. local time (12:00 GMT) in a 1,200-square-meter space.

Coinciding with the opening of the store, the French press reported the arrest and custody of a man in Bouc-Bel-Air, near Marseille, after intercepting a package with a child-like sex doll sent in his name and purchased on the Shein platform.

Executives of the Chinese e-commerce company must respond on November 18 to questions from French parliamentarians who make up an investigative commission to understand how illicit products could be sold in this country.

In addition, a group of deputies from various political horizons announced today the upcoming presentation of a European resolution against the problem of fast fashion, which urges Brussels and the French Government to adopt a stronger stance against Shein.

Among them is the deputy of the conservative party The Republicans Antoine Vermorel-Marques, who is also the rapporteur of the commission of inquiry into controls on imported products in France.

This deputy plans to report today to the Paris prosecutor’s office the sale of category A weapons (machetes and brass knuckles) after discovering advertisements on the platform.

“It is sold as a bestseller on Shein… and even with a discount for Christmas. That is already too much,” he exclaimed on his social networks, recalling that “the sale of these weapons is punishable by 5 years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros” in France.

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