France hands Shein €40 million fine for deceptive commercial practices

Published on 04/07/2025 - 12:22 GMT+2

France handed fast-fashion elephantine Shein a €40 cardinal good connected Thursday, pursuing a year-long investigation that recovered nan online retailer blameworthy of "deceptive commercialized practices".

France's Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) — nan regulator successful complaint of French user rule — revealed that Shein had misled its customers connected value reductions, arsenic good arsenic connected nan scope of its "commitments concerning biology claims".

In its statement, nan DGCCRF confirmed that Shein — a China-based institution owned by Infinite Styles Ecommerce Limited (IELS) — had accepted nan fine.

The rustle comes 2 months aft nan European Commission recovered Shein blameworthy of engaging successful forbidden commercialized practices nether EU rule successful May, pursuing a coordinated investigation pinch nationalist user protection authorities.

Through analysing products listed arsenic connected waste connected Shein's French website from October 2022 to August 2023, investigators recovered that 57% of products had nary value reduction, 19% had a flimsy discount, while 11% of products really had a value increase.

"These practices, pinch their profusion of crossed-out prices and imperishable promotions, springiness consumers nan belief that they are getting a very bully deal", stated nan Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention.

Under French regulation, nan reference value for discounted equipment is simply a product's lowest value during nan 30 days which precede nan commencement of a sale.

On apical of misleading customers, nan French anti-fraud and title agency recovered that Shein was "unable to warrant nan biology claims made connected its website", describing itself arsenic a "responsible company" which limits its biology effect by "reducing greenhouse state emissions by 25%."

French authorities wished that these statements contradict nan firm's business model, which is "based connected an abundant proviso of textiles astatine debased prices."

In 2020, accelerated manner was estimated to relationship for 8-10% of world CO2 emissions.

Although Shein whitethorn person been deed pinch a dense fine, successful caller years nan institution has go somewhat accustomed to nationalist scrutiny.

In January, British politicians were outraged erstwhile nan online retailer refused to supply assurances that its products did not see fabric produced successful nan Xinjiang region of China, which has been linked to forced Uyghur labour.

Meanwhile, an investigation published successful 2024 by Swiss defense group Public Eye recovered that immoderate workers astatine Shein factories were still moving 75-hour weeks, contempt nan company's promises to amended conditions for employees.