France investigates Shein over sex dolls as it opens first store in world in Paris


Shein is also set to open shops in seven other cities, inside Galeries Lafayette department stores run by SGM. But Galeries Lafayette has refused to have anything to do with Shein and will withdraw its name from the stores in Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Mans, Limoges, Orléans and Reims.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said Shein and the other three e-commerce platforms were being investigated over violent, pornographic or “undignified messages” that could be accessed by minors.

Shein and AliExpress are also under investigation over the dissemination of content related to children that are of a pornographic nature, the prosecutor’s office said.

The cases have been referred to Paris’ Office des Mineurs, the prosecution service added. The office is an arm of the French police force that oversees the protection of minors.

AliExpress said the listings in question violated its policies and were removed once it became aware of them.

“Sellers found to violate or trying to circumvent these requirements will be penalised in accordance with our rules,” AliExpress said in a statement.

On Monday, Shein said it had banned the sale of all sex dolls on its platform worldwide. The Singapore-based retailer also said that it would permanently block all seller accounts related to the illegal sale of the childlike dolls and set stricter controls on its platform.

The French consumer watchdog, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, had said the sex dolls’ description and categorisation left “little doubt as to the child pornography nature” of the products.

The scrutiny of Shein comes as the company, which was founded in China, prepares for the opening on Wednesday of its first permanent physical outlet in France.

Shein plans to open outlets in other French department stores in cities including Dijon, Reims and Angers.


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