The EU justice commissioner has raised concerns over the harmful and hazardous nature of certain products sold by Shein and Temu, as authorities increase scrutiny of the prominent Chinese retail platforms.
With 12 million low-cost packages entering the EU daily from online sellers outside the region, Michael McGrath has pledged to strengthen enforcement against items that violate regulations.
He awaits the results of an ongoing EU-wide undercover operation, which aims to further verify existing findings that these retailers are circumventing EU laws.
Among the most alarming products identified were baby pacifiers with loosely attached beads, posing a choking risk due to missing the required ventilation holes.
A recent report by MEPs also highlighted children’s raincoats containing toxic substances, sunglasses lacking UV protection, and shorts with excessively long drawstrings that could cause tripping.
Additionally, cosmetics containing butylphenyl methylpropional (Lillal), a chemical banned since 2022 over fertility and fetal development concerns, were found. Last year, UK authorities advised discarding any products with this ingredient.
"I am deeply concerned, and we must ensure European consumers are protected," McGrath told *CuriosityNews*.
Under the EU’s Safety Gate system, national consumer agencies issue rapid warnings for unsafe non-food items and also accept consumer reports.
In 2023, Safety Gate recorded 4,137 alerts—a historic high—with cosmetics accounting for over a third, followed by toys, electronics, vehicles, and chemicals.
Beyond safety issues, McGrath highlighted the platforms' explosive growth over the past two years, raising concerns about unfair competition harming local businesses.
"The surge in these sales is putting immense pressure on national systems," he said.
"We must enforce product safety and consumer protection laws more rigorously. This isn’t just about consumers—it’s also about ensuring fair competition for EU businesses, which face rivals ignoring regulations."
"European businesses bear high compliance costs and shouldn’t compete against those evading these obligations."
EU data shows daily imports of 12 million small parcels under €150, totaling 4.6 billion shipments in 2024—double 2023’s volume and triple that of 2022.
Potential EU measures include eliminating the €150 tax exemption threshold and imposing per-package fees to discourage low-value imports.
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