Shein Sex Doll Scandal France – Latest News
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Shein Faces French Ban Threat Over Childlike Sex Dolls
Table of Contents
What Happened?
Shein has said it will co-operate with investigations by French authorities after finance minister Roland Lescure threatened to ban the controversial online retailer from the country for selling childlike sex dolls on its marketplace.
French authorities opened an investigation into Shein and three other ecommerce platforms on Monday after receiving alerts about sex dolls resembling children being sold by multiple third party sellers on their sites.
“We will co-operate 100 per cent with the justice system,” Shein spokesman Quentin Ruffat told RMC radio on Tuesday.
“I have heard the concerns of the children’s commissioner … these issues of child sexual abuse are too serious to be ignored,” he added.
Context and Importance
The controversy comes a day before Shein is due to open its first permanent store in Paris. The China-founded retailer’s expansion plans have been met with vocal opposition from businesspeople, consumers and politicians in France.
Shein said it had suspended its “adult products” category on its marketplace and imposed a global ban on sex doll sales.
The retailer, which is best known for selling cheap women’s fashion produced under its own brand, launched a broader online marketplace for third party sellers in 2023.
Shein’s response and Internal Review
Donald Tang, Shein’s executive chair, said that “every related product has been removed.We are tracing the source and will take swift, decisive action against those responsible. We will also review our internal processes thoroughly and strengthen our safeguards to protect our customers and the integrity of our marketplace.”
Ruffat blamed “an internal dysfunction in our processes and governance” for the listings.