Shein was in court in France on Friday (5 December) with French officials demanding a series of measures to prove products sold on its website comply with the law.

In a Paris court hearing, a lawyer for the state said Shein must put controls in place on its website, including age verification and filtering, to ensure minors cannot access pornographic content, according to Reuters.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

It came after childlike sex dolls and banned weapons were found to be on sale on the Shein marketplace.

Shein subsequently disabled its marketplace – where third-party sellers list their products – in France on 5 November, after authorities found the illegal items for sale, but its site selling Shein-branded clothing remains accessible.

Lawyers for the state asked the court to enforce the suspension of its marketplace until Shein has shown evidence of such controls to the French communications regulator Arcom.

However, it stopped at pushing for a three-month full suspension of the platform, as had earlier been the case.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Shein did not return a request for comment when approached by Just Style.
However, it previously said it was “committed to working with French authorities to address any concerns swiftly.”

“Our priority is customer safety and marketplace integrity,” said Quentin Ruffat, head of public affairs. “This suspension enables us to strengthen accountability and ensure every product meets our standards and legal obligations.”

The retailer said its Marketplace Integrity Taskforce, composed of compliance, legal, operations and public affairs teams, was leading a review to tighten seller controls, audit product listings, and reinforce oversight.

Shein executive chairman Donald Tang, added: “The fight against child exploitation is non-negotiable for Shein. These were marketplace listings from third-party sellers — but I take this personally. Trust is our foundation, and we will not allow anything that violates it.”

Meanwhile, in a separate event, a US Senator called on the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to launch an investigation into online retailers Shein and Temu over alleged intellectual property theft and counterfeiting.

Just Style Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Style Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact

Excellence in Action
Recognised with two 2025 Just Style Excellence Awards, Coats Digital is setting a new standard in apparel costing and sustainability with its GSDCost solution . Learn how its data-led approach boosts costing accuracy, ethical compliance and environmental performance across the fashion supply chain.

Discover the Impact