Khaberni - The Chinese e-commerce platform "Shein" issued an official statement in response to the Greenpeace report, which revealed the presence of banned chemicals or those exceeding legal limits in its clothing products displayed on its platforms within the European market.
The company confirmed in its statement that it immediately withdrew the controversial products, stating: "Your safety is our priority.. Shein took immediate action after the latest Greenpeace report, where we removed the mentioned products from all our platforms around the world during the investigation. Our investigation results so far show that all tested products comply with European Union regulations. We are committed to full transparency, strict safety standards, and protecting our customers at every step."
France's Comments and Government Actions
Shein's statement comes days after France announced the suspension of the company's entry into the French market, following a scandal covered by the media regarding the sales of sex dolls resembling children.
The French Ministry of Finance explained that the government began on Wednesday procedures to ban the "Shein" website in France "for the necessary duration to prove to the authorities that all its products are fully compliant with French laws and regulations."
Over the weekend, the French Anti-Fraud Office accused "Shein" of allowing third-party sellers to promote sex dolls resembling children on its French platform.
The company responded by announcing the suspension of sales of all third-party products in France "to ensure full compliance with French law and the highest standards of consumer protection", clarifying that this decision was taken independently of the government's move to ban its site.
Environmental and Health Warnings
Greenpeace had issued warnings about the presence of harmful chemicals in "Shein" products, confirming that some clothing exceeded the limits set in the European Union by large degrees.
Inspection results of 56 pieces of clothing found that 18 contained hazardous materials, including jackets exceeding PFAS levels by up to 3300 times the allowable limit, and fourteen products contained phthalates exceeding the restrictions, six of which surpassed the legal limits by more than 100 times.
The organization explained that these chemicals, used to repel liquids and stains, are linked to serious illnesses such as cancer, reproductive disorders, delayed child development, and weakened immunity, and can enter the body through the skin or inhalation of fibers, as they were found in children's clothing.
Ulrike Siemers, director of the Bremen Environmental Institute, noted that children might put the clothes in their mouths or swallow small parts of them, and washing the clothes allows compounds to transfer to the water, soil, and food chains.
Despite the announcement of "Shein's" commitment to a list of banned materials and conducting millions of tests and excluding some suppliers, Greenpeace stated that these measures are insufficient, noting the continued detection of materials exceeding legal limits and the relisting of similar products after their withdrawal.
The organization accused the company of following an excessive production model that harms the environment, considering that "Shein" benefits from regulatory loopholes in Europe by shipping products directly to consumers, allowing it to avoid legal obligations.
The company responded by stating it would withdraw any products about which doubts were raised, following previous warnings about hazardous materials in its products and similar Asian platforms.
These warnings come in the context of the European Union tightening control over Asian e-commerce platforms, with new legislative proposals forcing them to comply with health and environmental standards and abolishing the customs exemption for low-value orders.
