Shein home page.
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EU Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath has voiced serious concerns over the safety of products sold by online Chinese retail giants Shein and Temu, as the European Commission intensifies its scrutiny of the two platforms.
The crackdown comes as the EU processes 12 million low-value parcels daily from non-EU online retailers, many of which are suspected of flouting safety regulations.
Justice Commissioner ‘shocked’ by low quality Shein & Temu goods
McGrath described himself as “shocked” by the findings, which include baby teethers with detachable beads posing choking hazards, children’s raincoats containing toxic chemicals, and sunglasses lacking UV protection. A recent MEP report also highlighted cosmetics with butylphenyl methylpropional (Lilial), a substance banned in the EU since 2022 due to risks to fertility and foetal development. The findings stem from an ongoing EU-wide secret shopper investigation, with results expected soon to further expose non-compliance by Chinese retailers.
The EU’s Safety Gate system, which tracks unsafe non-food products, issued a record 4,137 alerts last year, with cosmetics leading most of the complaints, followed by toys and electrical appliances. McGrath exposed a potential dual threat to the EU in unsafe products endanger consumers, and non-compliant sellers undermining European businesses who are forced to carry the weight of higher compliance costs.
Billions of small consignments including from Shein and Temu under Commission’s spotlight
The enormous surge in low-value imports from places like China added up to some 4.6 billion consignments under €150 in 2024, which was twice that of the previous year and is currently overwhelming national customs systems. To address the issue, the EU is considering abolishing the €150 duty-free threshold and introducing a per-package handling fee to deter low-value purchases and fund intensified customs checks. This is similar to recent actions in the US where an executive order by President Donald Trump ended the $800 duty-free threshold, imposing a 30 per cent tax or a $50 minimum per item.
McGrath plans to raise the issue with Chinese authorities, potentially at the upcoming EU-China summit in Beijing on July 25. Shein, responding to the allegations, highlighted its $15 million investment in compliance, including 2.5 million product safety tests and partnerships with testing centres. Temu presented a report demonstrating its meticulous vetting of sellers and its collaboration with global certification bodies to ensure compliance. Both companies have stressed their commitment to consumer safety, but the EU remains unconvinced and determined to enforce stricter oversight to protect consumers and local businesses.
