China's fast-fashion giant Shein opens first store in Paris

DW (English)

Amid mounting scrutiny from French and EU authorities, Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein has opened its first permanent store in Paris, inside the iconic BHV Marais.

Transcript

00:01Protests against the opening of the Xi'in store in the famous BHV Marais department store

00:06in the centre of Paris.

00:08They're outraged at the sale of childlike sex dolls on the Chinese company's website.

00:14They quickly pulled them off the market, but in the meantime it looked really bad.

00:19It's borderline.

00:20They're already using child slaves to make their clothes.

00:23Fortunately, NGOs are there to point out the existence of these things.

00:29Because public authorities no longer control what is sold and fail to carry out checks

00:35as the volumes are so large.

00:40But French economy minister Roland Lecure has already threatened a country-wide ban of the

00:44brand.

00:45If this continues, we will have the right and I will request that the Chinese platform's

00:50access to the French market be suspended.

00:53It's in the law.

00:54It's the rule.

00:55We voted for it.

00:56Xi'in was founded in China in 2012 and is now based in Singapore.

01:01Reaching customers mainly through its app, it's enjoyed a meteoric rise to become a global

01:06leader in fast fashion.

01:08The number of deliveries from Asia has increased massively in recent years.

01:11According to the EU Commission, around 4.6 billion parcels were imported into the EU in

01:162024, 91% of which came from China.

01:21Xi'in and other Chinese online platforms like Timu have faced criticism over their labour

01:26practices and environmental record.

01:29A new investigation by German consumer testing group Stiftung Warentest shows that products

01:34from low-cost Chinese retailers often fail to meet EU standards.

01:39The EU has already abolished duty-free imports on small packages amid its trade war with China.

01:45The EU also plans to take this step for shipments under €150, but not for another three years.

01:51Instead, it initially plans a flat-rate parcel fee of €2.

01:55In addition, increased controls under the Digital Services Act are intended to prevent the sale

02:00of unsafe or non-EU compliant products.

02:03Timu has already been asked to provide information on retailers selling illegal products in the

02:07EU, and Xi'in has been asked to bring its sales practices in line with EU consumer law.

02:13We will not hesitate to hold e-commerce platforms accountable, regardless of where they are based.

02:20Retailers and shop owners fear that more products from Chinese apps will enter the European market,

02:24as the platform seeks alternatives due to new restrictions on the US market.

02:29It's becoming inhumane, it's disrespectful to mankind.

02:34These are disposable products, unacceptable for our planet.

02:41Some retailers say they have now closed their shops in the BHV department store, partly because

02:46they don't want to sell their products alongside cheap Chinese competitors.

02:51Nevertheless, customers queued in front of the store, eager to be the first ones to enter

02:57the new Xi'in shop.

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