Copyright trial begins: Shein accuses Temu of infringement on ‘industrial scale’

The two-week copyright trial between Shein and Temu kicked off in the UK’s High Court today, unveiling rising tensions over business rights between the online Chinese retail competitors.

According to Reuters, Shein accused Temu of copyright infringement on an “industrial scale”, while Temu countered that Shein’s legal pursuit was merely an attempt to stifle competition rather than protect intellectual property.

Shein first filed the case against Temu in 2023 alleging that its competitor had used thousands of its images to market clothing items that either bore resemblance or were direct copies of Shein’s own products.

In court, Shein’s lawyer Benet Brandreth said Temu sought to “piggy-back” on an established competitor, adding: “This was an attempt to steal a march on an existing participant in the market”.

Temu has denied the allegations, with its lawyer, Charlotte May, stating that the company’s merchants had obtained the required consent to use the images.

In response, Temu is seeking damages in a counter-claim after it said it was forced to remove thousands of product listings following an injunction by Shein.

A separate portion of the case is due to go to trial next year, and will explore if Shein had broken consumer law by securing exclusive agreements with fast fashion suppliers.