Overview

• Austrian consumer groups AK OÖ and GLOBAL 2000 tested 19 summer footwear models from discount online retailers, including Temu and Shein.
• Two sandal models contained phthalate concentrations that breach EU limits for reproduction-toxic substances and eight were found to have other hazardous plasticizers.
• Temu flip-flops showed phthalate levels 420 times above the EU threshold for hormone-disrupting chemicals.
• Lead was detected in over a quarter of the sandals, a carcinogen that accumulates in the body despite levels remaining within legal limits.
• The European Commission plans to tighten market surveillance and impose stricter chemical regulations on platforms like Temu and Shein.