Online Sale of Dangerous Products and Illegal Content: Legal Actions Initiated in France Against Shein

French and European authorities have intensified their enforcement efforts against online platforms offering unsafe or illegal products. Among them, Shein, a global e-commerce giant, is now facing multiple proceedings for selling hazardous items and disseminating illicit content.
This unprecedented case illustrates the growing cooperation between the DGCCRF, French Customs, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the European Commission in enforcing both national consumer protection laws and the obligations arising from the Digital Services Act (DSA).

‍

1. Serious findings of illegal content dissemination

Investigations conducted by the French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) revealed the sale on Shein’s platform of child-like sex dolls constituting child sexual abuse material, alongside other pornographic content accessible without age restriction.

These acts fall within the scope of serious criminal offences under French law:

• Dissemination of child pornographic material: punishable by seven years’ imprisonment and a €100,000 fine under Article 227-23 of the French Criminal Code;
• Distribution of violent or pornographic messages accessible to minors: punishable by three years’ imprisonment and a €75,000 fine under Article 227-24 of the French Criminal Code.

In accordance with Article 40 of the French Code of Criminal Procedure, the DGCCRF immediately reported the facts to the Public Prosecutor and referred the matter to ARCOM, the national media and online content regulator, for assessment of Shein’s compliance with content moderation obligations.

‍

2. Three proceedings initiated against Shein

The French authorities have initiated three concurrent procedures against the platform:

1. A criminal investigation into the sale and dissemination of child sexual abuse material;
2. An administrative suspension procedure, under Articles L.521-1 et seq. of the French Consumer Code, requiring Shein to demonstrate the full compliance of its product catalogue with French and EU regulations before resuming operations;
3. A coordinated European investigation, launched under the Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065), given Shein’s qualification as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) subject to reinforced duties of diligence, content moderation and trader traceability.

‍

3. Customs inspection at Roissy Airport: eight out of ten parcels found non-compliant

In parallel, the French Customs Administration (DGDDI) conducted an unprecedented inspection operation at Roissy–Charles de Gaulle Airport, targeting 200,000 parcels shipped from Shein’s distribution centers.

Acting under Articles 38 and 414 of the French Customs Code and Regulation (EU) No 765/2008, customs officers found that eight out of ten products were non-compliant or unsafe, including:

• toys breaching the Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC),
• cosmetics containing banned substances,
• electrical appliances lacking CE conformity.

These findings may lead to withdrawal and destruction orders, customs penalties of up to twice the value of the goods, and potential prosecution for placing unsafe products on the market under Article L.423-1 of the French Consumer Code.

‍

4. Platform liability under the Digital Services Act

Beyond national enforcement, the Shein case illustrates the shift toward EU-wide platform accountability introduced by the Digital Services Act (DSA).
As a Very Large Online Platform, Shein is subject to extensive obligations, including:

• Prompt removal of illegal content and cooperation with authorities (Articles 16–17 DSA);
• Internal complaint-handling mechanisms for users (Article 20);
• Publication of annual transparency reports detailing moderation practices (Article 42);
• Annual risk assessments regarding systemic dissemination of illegal or harmful content (Article 34).

Failure to comply with these obligations may result in administrative fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover (Article 74 DSA).

‍

5. Towards coordinated European regulation of non-EU marketplaces

Following the Shein investigation, the DGCCRF has extended its scrutiny to other non-EU online marketplaces suspected of marketing unsafe products.
This marks the operational implementation of the cross-border cooperation mechanism between Member States established by the DSA (Articles 50 et seq.), combined with enhanced market surveillance under Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988.

The case demonstrates a decisive step toward integrated enforcement of product safety, consumer protection, and online content regulation across the European Union.

‍

‍Legal Analysis

The Shein proceedings signal a new era in online marketplace liability.
They highlight both:

• the determination of French and European authorities to rigorously enforce compliance and transparency obligations, and
• the inherent vulnerabilities of cross-border e-commerce models relying on fragmented or opaque supply chains.

By combining criminal, administrative, and EU-level mechanisms, regulators are building a comprehensive enforcement framework aimed at ensuring that global platforms trading in Europe meet the same safety and ethical standards as domestic operators.