Shein is being prosecuted in France?
Executive summary
Yes — French authorities have opened criminal proceedings and are investigating Shein over prohibited items found on its marketplace, but judges have so far declined the government's request to suspend the company’s French website, ruling a temporary ban would be disproportionate after Shein removed the offending listings [1] [2] [3]. The state is appealing and prosecutors continue to pursue the matter, while Shein says it has cooperated and removed illegal listings and banned sex dolls globally [4] [5].
1. The core legal posture: a criminal probe is underway, but no site shutdown
Paris prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation that has been assigned to France’s Office for the Protection of Minors following a consumer watchdog report identifying “childlike” sex dolls and prohibited weapons on Shein’s marketplace [1] [6]. In parallel, the French government sought an emergency order to suspend Shein’s platform — including a proposed three‑month block and requests for ISPs to cut access — but a Paris court rejected that bid on 19 December 2025 as “disproportionate,” noting the listings had been removed and sales were deemed sporadic [7] [2] [3].
2. Regulatory findings and prior sanctions that frame the prosecution
The legal action followed a high‑profile DGCCRF (consumer watchdog) investigation that reported banned items on Shein’s marketplace; that watchdog referral triggered both administrative scrutiny and the criminal inquiry [8] [5]. France had already fined Shein earlier in 2025 multiple times — amounting to €191 million for issues including false advertising, cookie law breaches and failure to disclose microplastics — providing contextual regulatory pressure underpinning the current actions [8].
3. Shein’s response and the company’s legal counterarguments
Shein rapidly removed the contested third‑party listings, announced a global ban on sex dolls and said it would intensify control processes and cooperate with French authorities, framing the steps as remedial [4] [9]. In court, Shein’s lawyers argued the company was facing discriminatory treatment and a political “crusade,” contending other platforms also sold illicit items while enforcement has concentrated on Shein [5].
4. Judicial reasoning and limits of the current ruling
The Paris judicial court acknowledged a “serious harm to public order” from the products but judged a full suspension excessive given the removal of the items and their sporadic nature; it nonetheless attached injunctions — notably barring the resumption of adult sexual product sales without reliable age‑verification — signaling continued judicial oversight rather than exoneration [3] [9] [6].
5. Ongoing avenues: appeal, criminal process, and political momentum
The government has confirmed it will appeal the court decision and continues to press the argument of systemic risk tied to Shein’s business model under France’s digital economy law while prosecutors carry forward the criminal investigation [10] [5]. Politically, lawmakers and advocacy groups have amplified pressure — from parliamentary bills targeting ultra‑fast fashion to petitions and public outcry — meaning legal outcomes will play out against a backdrop of regulatory change, including EU moves on low‑value imports that affect platforms like Shein [11] [8].
6. What “being prosecuted” means here — and what remains uncertain
Being prosecuted in this context means Shein is subject to an active criminal inquiry and government legal action seeking measures such as site suspension; it is not synonymous with conviction or with the platform being taken offline, as judges have so far refused the suspension and the company remains contesting some claims [1] [2] [5]. Reporting clearly shows investigations and appeals are ongoing, but available sources do not yet provide final criminal charges or trial outcomes, which remain to be determined in subsequent proceedings [6] [10].