the sale of a child pornography doll on the site threatens its authorization in France

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Shein is proudly displayed on rue de Rivoli in Paris for its installation in France. But the Chinese textile giant was caught up in the scandal: an illegal child pornography doll was sold on its French site. The passers-by interviewed are outraged. “We can’t tolerate something like this. It’s not possible.” one of them says indignantly. Another shared this sentiment: “It’s shameful, it’s scandalous. I’m not going to give money to predators.”, “I buy from BHV. That’s it” says a local resident.

From Wednesday November 5, the controversial brand will occupy 1000 square meters of the department store. The boss of BHV considers the affair indecent, but the group does not question its partnership. Karl-Stéphane Cottendin, general director of BHV, explains: “We have worked with the greatest care to ensure that all products comply with French and European legislation. These scandalous products that ended up on their site and have since been removed are not Shein products, but third party products.”

Shein promotes both its own products and those of other sellers, as is the case with this doll. Is he then criminally responsible? For the government, the online retailer has crossed the red line. In an interview with RMC, Roland Lescure, Minister of Economy and Finance, said: “If this behavior is repeated, we will be entitled and I will ask for it, to ban the Shein platform from accessing French markets. It’s in the law, it’s the lot, we voted for it”

When it sells other people’s products, the platform acts as a marketplace. If reported, she has 24 hours to unpublish the illegal items, which Shein did quickly. According to Nicolas Lellouche, journalist at Numerama: “Technically speaking, Shein played its responsibility and complied with the law. So, it is difficult to imagine that the investigation would lead to a ban on Shein in France”

For the repression of fraud, the platform can however be found responsible and fined. Alice Vilcot-Dutarte, spokesperson for the DGCCRF, explains: “The sanction punishes the act that existed. Of course, measures were taken to remove the content. This does not remove the responsibility of the platform which, for a time, disseminated this type of content”

Shein is not the only site to offer this type of product. In just a few clicks, the France Télévisions teams found similar products on other platforms. An unacceptable situation for the authorities, who summon the platforms to obtain the contact details of buyers and sellers.

Sarah El-Haïry, High Commissioner for Children, declares: “We must imagine these horrors and buy them. We will find those who market and buy, the law allows us to do so.”

Customers of these sites can report any illegal products on the Pharos platform.