French Court Rejects State Request to Block Shein Website

In a significant legal victory for the ultra-fast-fashion giant, the Paris judicial court has rejected a request by French authorities to suspend Shein’s website in France. The court ruled that a three-month block would be “disproportionate,” noting that the company had already taken steps to remove illicit items from its platform.

Background: The Push for a Three-Month Ban

The legal battle began after French authorities discovered several highly concerning products being sold on the platform, including:

• Unregulated weapons

• Banned medications

• Childlike sex dolls

State officials had requested that fr.Shein.com be blocked for a minimum of three months, arguing that the site should only be allowed to reopen once strict new measures were implemented to prevent these offenses from recurring.

The Court’s Ruling: “Serious Harm” vs. Proportionate Response

While the Paris judicial court acknowledged that the sale of such items caused “serious harm to public order,” it ultimately sided with Shein on the matter of the site-wide ban.

The court highlighted several key factors in its decision:

1. Sporadic Nature: The sale of the illegal items was deemed “sporadic” rather than a systemic business practice.

2. Proactive Removal: The court noted that Shein had already removed the offending products upon notification.

3. Scale of Operation: With several hundred thousand items for sale on the platform, the court ruled that blocking the entire site for a few identified illegal products was an excessive measure.

The Injunction on Adult Products

Despite the win, the court issued a formal injunction against Shein. The retailer is prohibited from resuming the sale of sexual products that could constitute pornographic content without first implementing robust age-verification measures.

Shein has admitted to difficulties in creating an effective age filter. Consequently, the “adults-only” category will remain closed globally—a policy Shein enacted following the initial outcry over childlike sex dolls in November.

Wider Pressure on E-commerce Giants

Shein is not the only platform under the microscope. European regulators and retailers are increasingly pushing for stricter oversight of overseas e-commerce platforms to ensure fair competition and consumer safety.