France suspends Shein over sex doll sales hours after first Paris store opens
Chinese company Shein opened its first physical store inside Paris's Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville general store on Tuesday. (AP: Aurelien Morissard)
In short:
Fast-fashion retailer Shein's online platform has been suspended in France after controversy over the sale of sex dolls with child-like features.
The announcement by France's finance ministry came just hours after the retailer's first permanent physical store opened in Paris.
The store opening was disrupted by protesters.
The French government has suspended access to Shein's online platform after days of controversy and protests over the sale of sex dolls with child-like features on its website.
The decision came on Wednesday afternoon, local time, just hours after the fast-fashion retailer launched its first permanent store in the world inside one of Paris's most iconic department stores.
The store drew crowds of shoppers and a small group of demonstrators waving anti-Shein signs who briefly disrupted the opening ceremony before they were escorted out by security.
France's finance ministry did not say whether its decision would impact the physical store or elaborate on the reasons for its decision.
It said the suspension would last until the company proved its content accorded with French law.
In response, Shein pledged to work with French authorities to "address any concerns swiftly", adding it was "seeking dialogue with the authorities and government bodies on this issue".
Protesters briefly disrupted Shein's physical store opening hours before its online website was suspended by French authorities. (Reuters: Sarah Meyssonnier)
French authorities have legal power to order online platforms to remove illegal content such as child pornography within 24 hours.
If platforms fail to comply, authorities can require internet service providers and search engines to block access and delist the site.
Access to, and orders from, the French version of Shein's website were still possible on Wednesday following the government's announcement.
Sex doll controversy dogs store opening
The suspension came two days after French authorities first put Shein on notice.
There had been uproar in the European country after its consumer watchdog said last week it had discovered the dolls on Shein's website, noting that their descriptions and categorisation left little doubt as to their child-pornographic nature.
The ABC earlier this week reported that such dolls were also being sold on Shein and Temu's Australian stores.
Even before the backlash over the sex doll listings, the decision by Shein to launch its first physical store in the heart of France's fashion capital had faced criticism from environmental groups, Paris City Hall and France's ready-to-wear industry.
Shein said earlier that it had banned all sex-doll products and temporarily removed its adult products category for review.
The company had also announced that it would temporarily suspend listings from independent third-party vendors in its marketplace, and launched an investigation to determine how the dolls' listings bypassed its screening measures.
The retail giant has long drawn criticism over its poor green credentials and labour practices.
One demonstrator held up a sign saying "Shame on Shein" outside the BHV department store where fast fashion powerhouse Shein's first permanent store was opening. (AP: Thibault Camus)
An online petition opposing the Paris opening has surpassed 120,000 signatures, and several dozen protesters camped outside the BHV department store on Wednesday morning.
But large crowds of shoppers turned up undeterred.
Department store stands by decision to host Shein
Ticia Ones, a regular Shein online customer living in Paris, was among those who turned up for the store's grand opening.
She said the main reason she visited was the opportunity to see items in person before buying.
"We can see what we order, touch the items, it's a good thing," she said.
"I'm not going to comment on the quality, but price is definitely appealing."
The Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), which owns the BHV Marais department store in downtown Paris, called the sale of the sex dolls unacceptable, but earlier praised Shein for its swift response to defuse the controversy.
The BHV has been going through financial struggles in recent years and SGM believes the arrival of Shein will help revive business — even as some brands have chosen to leave the store in protest.
"We are proud to have a partner who has spoken out firmly," said Karl-Stéphane Cottendin, the chief operating officer of SGM.
"We are very happy to be opening the boutique."
AP