Shein pulls dolls after France threatens to block platform

Anabelle Colaco
05 Nov 2025, 01:02 GMT+10

France has warned Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein that it could be barred from the French market if it ever resumes selling child-like sex dolls, a move that triggered outrage and swift regulatory intervention
The warning came after French authorities pressured the retailer to pull the dolls from its online platform
Shein complied, removing the products over the weekend and promising tighter oversight of items sold by third-party vendors

PARIS, France: France has warned Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein that it could be barred from the French market if it ever resumes selling child-like sex dolls, a move that triggered outrage and swift regulatory intervention.

The warning came after French authorities pressured the retailer to pull the dolls from its online platform. Shein complied, removing the products over the weekend and promising tighter oversight of items sold by third-party vendors.

"If such conduct is repeated, we would be within our legal right to stop Shein's access to the French market," Finance Minister Roland Lescure said in an interview with BFM TV.

Contacted by Reuters, Shein said in an emailed statement: "The products in question were immediately removed from the platform as soon as we became aware of these major shortcomings." The company did not specify how long the dolls had been available or how many were sold before their removal.

Shein, one of the world's largest e-commerce retailers, has faced mounting scrutiny across Europe over the ethics of its supply chain, environmental impact, and product safety standards.

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