Belgian consumer agency: seventy per cent of Temu and Shein products are illegal

Brussels – We have all bought cheap items on Chinese digital marketplaces such as Temu and Shein. What we did not know was that 70 per cent of those items violate safety standards. This fact was brought to light by the Belgian consumer protection association Achats, which conducted an investigation together with similar organisations in Germany and Sweden.

Non-conforming products

Achats and partner organisations analysed 162 items of different types purchased on the two online shops. After extensive checks, 112 products were found not to comply with EU standards. For example, all toys sold on Shein and 26 out of 27 of those sold on Temu had defects. The defects found included dangerous shapes, toxic substances, and small detachable parts that could cause choking. Sixty per cent of the products were found to have medium- to high-risk defects. Technology products also showed the same problems. 52 out of 54 USB chargers failed the tests, reaching temperatures above 100 °C under stress. It is slightly better for costume jewellery. Most passed safety checks, but some items, mostly sold on the Shein platform, contained very high levels of cadmium, a toxic and carcinogenic metal. In one case, a necklace had a concentration of 8,500 times the permitted limit. Contacted by Achats, Shein promptly withdrew the incriminated products, warning customers that the items were non-compliant. Temu promised to do the same, but with a few weeks’ delay.

European rules

It should be noted that both platforms are resellers of third-party products: Temu is entirely so, while Shein has both its own production line and a dedicated resale line. For this reason, both should comply with the European Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires retailers to verify the compliance of products before putting them online.

Paying the price for such violations are, on the one hand, European sellers, damaged by unfair competition, and, on the other hand, consumers, unaware that they have potentially dangerous objects in their homes. The EU Commission has partly estimated the extent of the problem. According to figures released, in 2024, some 4.6 billion small-value packages (less than €150) entered Europe. It is obvious that not all of these products can be traced back to Chinese retailers. At the same time, one cannot fail to notice that the phenomenon of bargain buying and thus lower quality is expanding. In 2023, the amount was half; in 2022, only a third.

A spokesperson for Temu commented on the issue, stating that the company attaches ‘the utmost importance to product safety. With regard to the items reported, we promptly removed them and informed the respective sellers.’

The spokesperson claims that “Temu employs a rigorous quality control system to prevent, identify and withdraw non-compliant products, which also includes physical checks. We also work with reputable independent testing agencies to ensure that the products on our platform fully comply with the required standards. We reiterate our commitment to ensuring a safe and reliable shopping experience, in full compliance with European product safety regulations.”