Overview

• Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) slapped Shein’s European website operator with a €1 million fine for deceptive environmental advertising.
• The AGCM concluded that claims about product recyclability were false or likely to mislead consumers into believing garments were fully recyclable.
• Investigators said Shein used vague, generic and overly emphatic messages that masked the true environmental impact of its fast-fashion offerings.
• Shein stated it fully cooperated with the probe and has updated all sustainability claims on its site to be clear, specific and compliant.
• This move follows a €40 million French fine in July and complements recent EU and national laws imposing eco-taxes, ad bans and parcel fees on ultra-fast fashion platforms.