A Year of Resistance: France's Stand Against Shein's Unfair Competition

French businesses face unequal competition from online retailer Shein. A Paris court will hear the government's appeal to suspend Shein after controversial sales. Lawmakers propose new legislation allowing platform suspensions without court approval. France imposes taxes to curb Shein's market growth.

Online retail giant Shein is set to face what French officials are calling a "year of resistance." French Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Serge Papin, declared on Thursday that these platforms are increasingly offering unfair competition to French retail chains.

Papin voiced his concerns on TV, highlighting the discrepancy where physical stores are accountable for their store-sold goods, whereas online platforms evade such responsibility. The focus is now on a Paris court expected to hear an appeal against Shein after a shock discovery of child-like sex dolls listed on its marketplace. While Shein has partially reopened its platform and claims to have implemented product controls, it declined to comment on the ongoing controversy.

Papin insists these violations are systemic, affirming his belief in the court siding with his stance that Shein disrupts public order. To combat this, two lawmakers are drafting a bill permitting government suspension of online platforms sans court approval. As part of this effort, France has inaugurated a 2-euro tax effective from March 1, with an EU-wide 3-euro tax soon to follow, aiming to rein in Shein and others.

(With inputs from agencies.)