Shein Under Pressure: Trade Association and Greenpeace Call for Europe-Wide Ban

The background is an evaluation by the French consumer protection authority, which reportedly found serious deficiencies during the seizure of around 200,000 packages at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. According to a joint statement on Friday, 80 percent of the products were said to have violated EU safety standards.

In Austria, too, online discount retailers from Asia like Shein are on the rise. According to the Trade Association, they delivered around 100 million packages to Austria in 2024. Trade Association Managing Director Rainer Will assumes that 8 out of 10 packages here also do not meet EU safety standards. "The risks for domestic consumers cannot be overestimated," warned Will. This involves dangerous toys, unauthorized cosmetics, or faulty electrical devices.

State Secretary: Figures alarming, but not surprising

For Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig, State Secretary for Consumer Protection (SPÖ), the figures from France are "alarming - but unfortunately not surprising." In Austria, too, targeted inspections showed a "shockingly high" rate of illegal products, it was reported to the APA. The Ministry of Social Affairs has already initiated two lawsuits against providers of such online platforms for misleading business practices and systematic legal violations. Königsberger-Ludwig called for stricter rules at the EU level: "It is clear: Anyone selling in Europe must also adhere to European rules."

For Greenpeace representative Madeleine Drescher, Shein has built its business model on "systematic disregard for protection standards at the expense of people and the environment." While European retailers adhere to the rules, many platforms from Asia "systematically circumvent duties, taxes, and safety regulations." "The unfair competition has already catapulted Shein to rank 5 among the highest-grossing webshops in the country," said Will. Last year, the Chinese-led online retailer, which has since relocated its headquarters to Singapore, reportedly generated 174 million euros in Austria. However, the undisputed online retailer in Austria remains the US company Amazon.

Demand for stricter measures for Shein

The Trade Association and Greenpeace see "imminent danger" and therefore demand an immediate ban on Shein throughout Europe. They also call for intensified targeted inspections by customs authorities in Austria and all other EU countries against platforms from Asia, as well as the introduction of platform liability for correct product declaration at the national level to guarantee safety standards and combat customs and VAT fraud.

A long-standing demand of the Trade Association, the abolition of the customs exemption limit of 150 euros for packages from third countries, was decided on Thursday at a meeting of EU economic and finance ministers in Brussels. The customs exemption limit is to be abolished by 2028 at the latest, possibly as early as spring 2026. Whether the reform will fundamentally change consumer behavior is questionable according to a study by Johannes Kepler University (JKU). The more frequently orders are placed with Asian online platforms, the less likely a change in consumer behavior will occur, says JKU trade professor Christoph Teller.

Alma Zadić, consumer protection spokesperson for the Greens, also called on Friday to examine a Europe-wide ban on Shein, to hold platforms more accountable, and to conduct immediate targeted inspections at Austrian and European customs offices. Hans Mayrhofer, Secretary General of the Eco-Social Forum, also advocated for further measures for consumer safety in a statement.

(APA/Red)

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