French government has threatened to block Chinese e-commerce platform, Shein, from operating in the country following allegations that the company sold sex dolls with childlike features on its French website.
French Finance Minister, Roland Lescure, issued the warning on Monday, describing the items as “illegal” and “horrible,” and stating that repeated violations could lead to a market ban.
The French anti-fraud agency, DGCCRF, accused Shein of listing the controversial products in a manner that left “little doubt” about their pedopornographic nature.
According to BFMTV, a CNN affiliate, the dolls were available for purchase until Monday morning, prompting swift action from authorities.
Shein confirmed that the products were removed immediately after being flagged. Quentin Ruffat, a company spokesperson, said the platform was taking the matter seriously and implementing corrective measures.
French authorities have escalated the case to prosecutors and the national telecom regulator. Under French law, distributing pedophilic content via electronic networks carries a penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment and a €100,000 fine.
The DGCCRF also raised concerns about Shein’s safeguards against minors accessing pornographic content, which constitutes a separate offence under French legislation.
The controversy comes days before Shein is scheduled to open its first physical store in Paris, marking its expansion into brick-and-mortar retail in France.
France’s High Commissioner for Childhood, Sarah El-Haïry, has called for the identification of both sellers and buyers involved in the transaction.
This is not the first time an online retailer has faced such scrutiny. In 2018, Amazon was involved in a similar incident involving third-party vendors.
