France investigates Shane and Temu after sex doll scandal

Online retailers Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish are under investigation in France for the crime of allowing minors to access pornographic content on their platforms, Paris prosecutors said on Tuesday.

The country’s consumer protection office reported the four firms to prosecutors on Sunday after raising concerns about sale of children’s sex dolls on Shein’s platform over the weekend.

In an earlier statement, Shein said it would fully cooperate with authorities and was willing to provide information about the sellers, buyers and products involved. When contacted Wednesday, they had no further comment to add.

AliExpress told the BBC it was taking the matter very seriously.

Temu and Wish have also been reached for comment.

Paris prosecutors said the four platforms were being investigated for violent, pornographic or “indecent messages” that could be accessed by minors.

Shein and AliExpress are also under investigation for distributing child-related content that is pornographic in nature, prosecutors said.

The cases have been handed over to Paris’s Office des Mineurs, prosecutors added. The service is a division of the French police that oversees the protection of minors.

AliExpress said the listings in question violated its policies and were removed after it became aware of them.

“Sellers found to be violating or attempting to circumvent these requirements will be penalized in accordance with our policies,” AliExpress said in a statement.

On Monday, Shane said it was ban the sale of all sex dolls on its platform worldwide. The Singapore-based retailer also said it would permanently block all seller accounts linked to the illegal sale of child-like dolls and impose tighter controls on its platform.

France’s consumer watchdog, the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, said the description and categorization of the sex dolls left “little doubt as to the nature of child pornography” of the products.

Shein’s study comes as the company, which was founded in China, prepares to open its first permanent physical location in France on Wednesday.

Protesters were seen gathered outside the department store in Paris where Shein is due to open shop.

Shane plans to opening stores in other French department stores in cities including Dijon, Reims and Angers.