In a statement on 20 August 2026, the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) said Boohoo had mislabelled synthetic products as “leather,” “faux leather,” and “suede,” breaching French rules governing the accurate description of textiles and footwear. 

An investigation by the DGCCRF’s National Directorate for Investigative Operations found that Boohoo failed to provide legally required information on the composition of textile products and the materials used for shoe uppers, linings, and soles.  

The regulator also identified additional instances of misleading commercial practices. Boohoo was found to have advertised price reductions online that did not accurately reflect real discounts.  

According to the DGCCRF, 40% of the analysed promotions offered no genuine saving, 7% provided a smaller discount than advertised, and 48% of the cases represented a price increase. 

The Paris Public Prosecutor approved a criminal settlement requiring Boohoo.com UK to pay the fine to the State Treasury, which the company has done.  

Boohoo has also been ordered to display a notice informing customers of the compliance action on its homepage for 30 days. 

A spokesperson for Boohoo tells Just Style: "These historic issues relate to a period from October 2023 to February 2024, when the business was under previous management, and are now resolved. We have cooperated fully with the regulator, and continue to review how we price and label our products."

Shares in Boohoo’s parent company Debenhams reportedly fell by 2.4% following the announcement. 

The DGCCRF’s decision forms part of a broader push by French authorities to tighten oversight of online fast-fashion retailers.  

In the past year, French lawmakers have adopted new measures to address the environmental and consumer impact of “disposable” fashion, targeting major platforms such as Shein and Temu.  

Last July, Shein was fined €40m for misleading discount offers.