The EU justice commissioner, Michael McGrath, has expressed shock at the toxicity and dangers of some goods sold by Chinese retail platforms Shein and Temu. He is awaiting the results of an EU-wide secret shopper operation amid a crackdown on the sale of illegal products.
Among the worst examples cited were baby soothers with beads that fall off easily, posing a choking hazard, and children's raincoats containing toxic chemicals. Cosmetics with the banned ingredient Lilial, which affects fertility and foetal development, were also found.
McGrath emphasised the need to protect European consumers and address unfair competition, noting that European businesses face significant costs to comply with regulations, while sellers on these platforms often do not.
Last year, the EU's Safety Gate system received a record 4,137 alerts, with over a third relating to cosmetics. The EU is considering abolishing the €150 duty-free threshold and introducing a handling fee, similar to recent US measures, to tackle the issue.
