The European Union's Justice Commissioner, Michael McGrath, warned that some products sold on popular Chinese online shopping platforms like Shein and Temu could pose a risk to human health. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to him, more than 12 million cheap packages are delivered to Europe every day, and most of them are sold in violation of existing laws. Current secret shopper research being conducted in Europe may identify cases of Chinese companies circumventing the laws.
Among the most dangerous products are items intended for children. For example, the parts of children's toys can be easily detached, which may obstruct infants' breathing.
These products do not have holes that comply with safety standards. Additionally, children's raincoats made with toxic chemicals, sunglasses without UV filters, children's shorts with excessively long strings, and cosmetics containing substances banned in the European Union since 2022, such as butylphenyl methylpropional, also pose risks.
Warnings about such products are issued through the Safety Gate system. In 2024, 4,137 warnings were recorded, of which 35 percent pertained to cosmetic products.
McGrath sees this issue not only as a matter of consumer safety but also as a matter of fair competition for local businesses. In his opinion, European companies strictly adhere to safety regulations, but competing with non-compliant rivals infringes on their rights.
According to statistical data, in 2024, 4.6 billion products priced under 150 euros were imported into Europe, which is double compared to 2023 and three times more than in 2022. In this regard, the European Union is considering the following measures: abolishing customs exemptions for goods up to 150 euros, introducing an additional fee for each package, and establishing a single customs authority at the European level.
Similar measures in the United States came into effect on June 1, 2024. There, the threshold value was reduced from $800 to $50, and buyers pay a 30 percent tax on each product.
Shein announced that it will allocate $15 million in 2025 to ensure product quality and safety. So far, they have tested over 2.5 million products and removed more than 500 suppliers from their registry.
No comments have been made by Temu regarding this matter.
