The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, in collaboration with the European Commission, has taken action against the online retailer SHEIN for several practices that allegedly violate EU consumer protection laws. The coordinated investigation involves national authorities from Belgium, France, Ireland, and The Netherlands.
The investigation addresses various issues consumers face when shopping on SHEIN. These include fake discounts that do not reflect actual prior prices, pressure selling tactics with false deadlines, and misleading information about returns and refunds. Other concerns involve deceptive product labels and misleading sustainability claims. Additionally, SHEIN’s contact details are reportedly difficult for consumers to find.
The CPC Network has requested further information from SHEIN to evaluate its compliance with EU consumer law obligations related to product rankings, reviews, ratings, and contract terms involving third-party sellers.
SHEIN has been given one month to respond to the findings and propose solutions. If it fails to address these concerns satisfactorily, national authorities may impose fines based on SHEIN’s turnover in the affected EU Member States.
This action is part of broader efforts by the European Commission under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to ensure safe online environments for consumers in Europe. The DSA inquiry focuses on illegal content on SHEIN’s platform and transparency issues related to its recommender systems.
Background information highlights a Communication published by the Commission on February 5, 2025, which outlines strategies for addressing e-commerce challenges throughout a product’s life cycle. The General Product Safety Regulation mandates an economic operator within the EU for all consumer products to ensure safety compliance.
Under the CPC Regulation, national consumer authorities across EU Member States collaborate through the CPC Network to enforce cross-border consumer protection laws. The ongoing investigation into SHEIN is informed by statistical data from European Consumer Centres regarding frequent consumer complaints against the company.
For more details or inquiries:
Markus Lammert
Spokesperson
Phone: +32 2 29 67533
Email: [email protected]
Yuliya Matsyk
Press Officer
Phone: +32 2 29 13173
Email: [email protected]
