Shein website avoids suspension by French court

On Friday, the Paris judicial court rejected the French state's request to temporarily block the Shein website. It deemed the measure “disproportionate” following the e-commerce giant’s voluntary removal of illicit products.

The court acknowledged “serious harm to public order”, citing the sale of sex dolls resembling young girls, weapons and medicines. However, it deemed these sales “isolated” and noted that the platform had since removed the products.

The court did, however, issue an injunction against Shein. It prohibits the company from resuming the sale of “sexual products that could be classified as pornographic content” without implementing age verification measures.

The state’s request for Shein to maintain the suspension of its marketplace “at a minimum” was not granted. The marketplace hosts products sold by third-party sellers.

The court noted in its decision that “only certain products on the marketplace have been identified in these proceedings as clearly illicit and harmful, whereas the ‘fr.Shein.com’ platform offers several hundred thousand items for sale”.

The court explained it had not observed the prohibited items being sold “on a recurring and massive scale”. Instead, it praised Shein’s “rigorous and swift” response after being notified about the items.

Although the state’s case was dismissed, Shein’s lawyers explained during the hearing that the marketplace is not expected to reopen fully at once, but rather gradually. The company acknowledges difficulties in implementing an effective age filter for pornographic products.

As a result, the adult category will remain closed for the time being, a measure that has been in place globally since the scandal first emerged in France.