Overview
- A cross-European investigation by UFC-Que Choisir and partners tested 162 items from Shein and Temu, finding 69% non-compliant with EU standards and 57% posing real risks to users.
- USB chargers were the most problematic: only 2 of 54 met EU rules, several had dangerously close circuits, and many overheated beyond the 87°C limit, creating burn, shock and fire hazards.
- Toys frequently failed mechanical and chemical checks, with small parts detaching and textile formaldehyde measured up to roughly five times the permitted level, while one jewellery item contained about 85% cadmium—8,500 times the authorized limit.
- Most items were sold by third-party vendors; Shein said it activated its standard global removal and recall protocol, and Temu was reported by some outlets to have rapidly taken down flagged listings, though consumer groups warn relisting remains easy.
- The findings sit within a broader enforcement challenge marked by surging small-parcel imports, recent customs seizures in France, and policy proposals such as a €2 fee on low-value parcels entering the EU.