France has asked Shein to put clear safety measures in place on its platform and to show regulators that illegal products can no longer be sold through its site. The request follows weeks of scrutiny after authorities found illegal products offered by third-party sellers on Shein’s French marketplace.
During a hearing at the Paris court, the state’s lawyer said Shein must add stronger controls, including age checks and filtering tools, so minors cannot reach any content considered pornographic. The government asked judges to keep Shein’s marketplace suspended until the company provides evidence to Arcom, the French communications regulator, that these controls are active and working.
Shein switched off its marketplace in France on November 5. The main site that sells Shein-branded clothing is still available. France is acting under Article 6.3 of the Digital Economy Act, which lets courts order actions when online content risks causing harm.
“We are not here to regulate,” the state’s lawyer told the court. “We are here to prevent harm, in the face of things that are unacceptable.” As of now, the hearing is still underway.
Last week, the Paris public prosecutor’s office said a full three-month suspension could be considered too heavy if Shein can show it has already stopped the sale of illegal items. Even so, the prosecutor backed the government’s push for proof that the company has real safeguards in place.
This case lands at a time when European authorities are paying closer attention to major Chinese platforms. Shein and Temu are both under review through the EU’s Digital Services Act, which focuses on consumer safety, illegal goods, and competitive fairness. Across the Atlantic, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into Shein’s labour practices and product safety.
The French court’s decision is expected to signal how regulators plan to handle fast-growing global marketplaces when harmful items appear online.
