French fraud watchdog reports Shein for ‘childlike’ sex dolls
France’s anti-fraud unit said Saturday it had denounced Asian e-commerce giant Shein for selling what it described as “child-like sex dolls.”
The DGCCRF said in a statement that the “description and categorization” of the elements on Shein’s website “make it difficult to doubt the child pornography nature of the content.”
Shortly after this statement, Shein announced that the dolls in question had been removed from its platform and that it had launched an internal investigation.
On its website, the daily Le Parisien published a photo of one of the dolls sold on the platform, accompanied by a caption explicitly of a sexual nature.
The dolls are approximately 80 centimeters (30 inches) tall. In the photo, he was seen holding a teddy bear.
“Imagine a child clicking randomly and coming across these products while browsing the site looking for a doll,” said Alice Vilcot-Dutarte, head of the DGCCRF, quoted by Le Parisien.
This news follows Shein’s announcement in October of its intention to set up in a prestigious department store in the center of Paris, its first physical point of sale.
Its point of sale is due to open on Wednesday at the BHV Marais, an emblematic building located opposite the Paris City Hall since 1856.
The move sparked outrage among other customers at the high-end BHV Marais store, with some major fashion brands removing their products from its shelves.
– Three fines in France –
Shein, originally founded in China, has faced constant criticism over working conditions in its factories and the environmental impact of its ultra-fast fashion business model.
Yet the company, now headquartered in Singapore, has seen its stock value soar while overtaking many traditional shopping establishments in recent years.
The DGCCRF warned that “the dissemination, via an electronic communications network, of child pornography is punishable by up to seven years of imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 euros ($116,000).”
He said he reported the matter to French prosecutors and Arcom, France’s internet and broadcasting regulator.
France has already imposed three fines on Shein in 2025 for a total of 191 million euros.
These were imposed for non-compliance with legislation on online cookies, false advertising, misleading information and failure to declare the presence of plastic microfibers in its products.
The European Commission is also investigating Shein over risks from illegal products, while EU lawmakers approved legislation aimed at reducing the environmental impact of fast fashion.
mpa/dd/sbk
