The French government has initiated a procedure for suspending the Shein.fr platformon instructions from Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornuwhile the company demonstrates the compliance of its content with national legislation. A decision which comes in an already explosive context for the Chinese e-commerce giant, after the discovery of illegal products offered on its marketplace.
Illegal sales which raise the question of control
The controversy was relaunched by the deputy for Loire Antoine Vermorel-Marques (LR)who denounced the sale of brass knuckles on Shein, weapons now classified category A since thedecree of July 4, 2025and therefore prohibited for sale or possession.
The parliamentarian, rapporteur of the fact-finding mission on the control of imported products, took legal action. “We have moved from fast fashion to fast crime,” he declared in the chamber, recalling that the sale of these weapons is punishable by five years of imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros.
Shein suspends its marketplace concurrently with government injunction
Faced with growing political pressure, Shein France announced that he had temporarily suspended sales of its marketplacea measure decided concomitantly with the official announcement of the Prime Minister. This suspension aims to allow complete review of compliance proceduresunder the supervision of his Marketplace Integrity Taskforce. The device includes a audit of product sheetsA strengthening control of third-party sellers and one increased surveillance content published on the platform.
“The security of our customers and the integrity of our marketplace are our top priorities,” says Quentin RuffatDirector of External Relations at Shein France.
“This suspension allows us to strengthen our accountability mechanisms and guarantee that each product offered meets our standards and legal obligations. »
Shein indicates that it wants open a rapid dialogue with the French authoritiesin order to present the corrective measures implemented and to guarantee “the highest level of consumer protection”.
This measure marks a unprecedented takeover by the State in the face of foreign e-commerce giants and could well redefine the balance of power between global platforms and national regulators. THE Shein case now stands as full-scale test for the implementation of the European digital regulatory framework.
