{"text":[[{"start":6.95,"text":"France wants to see more forceful EU action taken against online platforms such as Shein and Temu for selling “dangerous” Chinese goods, as Paris continues its crackdown on ecommerce following a sex doll scandal."}],[{"start":19.95,"text":"Sarah Lacoche, head of the country’s competition and consumer protection body, said the level of dangerous products — from overheating hairdryers to teddy bears with dangerous parts — on Asian platforms such as Shein far surpassed those of other online marketplaces. "}],[{"start":35.45,"text":"“We’ve got a rate of non-conformity and dangerousness of these products that remains far too important,” she told the FT. “I’m not saying that there aren’t nonconforming and dangerous products on other platforms, but not to this degree.” "}],[{"start":48.400000000000006,"text":"France has reinforced controls on items since it uncovered childlike sex toys and weapons being sold on Shein and other platforms last year. It has tripled the number of tests on foreign marketplaces in the past year."}],[{"start":62.45,"text":"Online marketplaces in France have withdrawn more than 100,000 products since April 2025, after 46 per cent of products analysed by authorities were found to be nonconforming and dangerous, according to figures from the competition, consumer affairs and anti-fraud directorate general, led by Lacoche."}],[{"start":80.5,"text":"Among the items identified by French authorities include toys that are not safe for children, electronics with batteries that have explosion risks and hairdryers that overheat, said Lacoche. "}],[{"start":92.25,"text":"But the sheer scale of nonconforming products makes it impossible to prevent packages from slipping through customs."}],[{"start":99.15,"text":"Brussels has recently passed legislation to reinforce consumer protection and has ongoing investigations into Shein, Temu and others. "}],[{"start":109.10000000000001,"text":"In February, it opened a formal investigation into alleged breaches of its rules on digital platforms by Shein, which was founded in China but is now headquartered in Singapore, including for selling childlike sex dolls and having an “addictive design”."}],[{"start":124.10000000000001,"text":"In response, Shein said then it had “always fully co-operated with the European Commission” and said it was already responding to issues raised by Brussels and investing in complying with the Digital Services Act."}],[{"start":135.65,"text":"Shein and Temu did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest French allegations."}],[{"start":141.75,"text":"Speaking on the occasion of a discussion with industry and other member state representatives about consumer protection regulations, Lacoche said she wanted authorities to be more forceful on “big infringements” of digital and consumer law. "}],[{"start":155.95,"text":"“We’re very much waiting to see what the outcome of investigations will be and whether there will be sanctions because I think that’s how we can really seize hold of this matter,” she said."}],[{"start":166,"text":"EU rules agreed in 2022 for widespread infringements can lead to sanctions of as much as 4 per cent of a trader’s annual turnover in the member state concerned. "}],[{"start":176.95,"text":"It can also take action through other legislation such as the Digital Services Act, with Brussels currently investigating Temu for selling illegal products."}],[{"start":186,"text":"“If these things lead to a fire in your house, it’s problematic,” she said with understatement. “So these are really issues where there is a real risk of accidents or even death. That’s why we are very vigilant.”"}],[{"start":196.95,"text":"She said the existing law was robust and recent enough to deal with the surplus of nonconforming items but added that it needed to be implemented forcefully. She added that failure to enforce rules also created unfair competition for platforms that were respecting the rules."}],[{"start":213.95,"text":"“Either we quickly demand that platforms put in place measures to better master the risks, or there are sanctions,” she said. "}],[{"start":221.25,"text":"The Commission said it had notified Temu and Shein that its practices violate EU consumer laws and that should platforms fail to comply, national authorities could take enforcement measures."}],[{"start":231.8,"text":"Sanctions “will target repeated and systematic non-compliance”, a spokesperson said. “It will only apply to platforms taking no action to address their non-compliance, and which regularly are in breach of EU legislation in regard to payments of duties and non-compliant goods.” "}],[{"start":255.8,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1778581187_6332.mp3"}