A Paris court has rejected an effort by the French government to suspend the website of fast-fashion giant Shein in response to it selling childlike sex dolls on its platform. The court said the request for a three-month suspension was 'disproportionate' - but did order age verification for the sale of adult products. The action against Shein was taken after France's consumer watchdog last month reported it to authorities for selling 'sex dolls with a childlike appearance' and weapons. Shein said its priority remained protecting French consumers and ensuring compliance. The court acknowledged the seriousness of selling the childlike sex dolls and weapons in its judgement, but said these had been isolated incidents. It noted that the Chinese company had taken action to remove the offending items once it had been made aware of them, and that the issues related to a small number of the hundreds of thousands of products on sale on its site. In response to the initial controversy, Shein announced it would be banning the sale of all sex dolls on its site internationally. A request by the French government for Shein to be forced to suspend the sale of third-party items on its website - the source of the initial offending items - was also rejected. In ordering age verification measures to be put in place for the sale of adult items, the court said the fine for each breach would be €10,000 (£8,700; $11,700). The decision to suspend Shein's website in early November coincided with the company opening its first physical store in the French capital. Its launch drew both shoppers and protesters, with opposition related to the sale of childlike sex dolls, and also its profile as a fast-fashion retailer. Shein said in a statement: 'We remain committed to continuously improving our control processes, in close collaboration with the French authorities, with the aim of establishing some of the most stringent standards in the industry. Our priority remains protecting French consumers and ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations.'
Shein's Website Suspension Bid Rejected by French Court
Shein's Website Suspension Bid Rejected by French Court
A Paris court has made a controversial ruling, allowing Shein to continue operations despite concerns over childlike sex dolls and requiring age verification for adult products.
In a recent ruling, a French court has declined the government's request to suspend Shein's website, highlighting the retailer's commitment to protecting consumers. The court acknowledged concerns over the sale of products resembling childlike sex dolls but deemed the suspension request 'disproportionate.' Age verification will be mandated for adult items moving forward. In response to this controversy, Shein announced it would no longer sell any sex dolls globally.
