Overview
- France’s DGCCRF said product descriptions and site categorization left little doubt about the pedopornographic nature of the dolls, and referred the case to the Paris prosecutor and Arcom.
- Shein said it removed the listings immediately and opened an internal investigation into how third‑party sellers bypassed marketplace controls, with a broader review to find similar items.
- Le Parisien published an image of an 80‑centimeter doll with childlike features and an explicitly sexual description, drawing wider scrutiny to the listings.
- DGCCRF also cited the absence of effective age and content filters, noting French penalties of up to seven years in prison and €100,000 for distributing child sexual representations.
- The development adds to three French fines against Shein this year totaling €191 million and precedes the planned opening of its first permanent Paris store at BHV Marais, which has prompted some brand withdrawals.