Shein, the Chinese fast-fashion giant, has pledged to fully cooperate with French judicial authorities in an investigation concerning the sale of childlike sex dolls on its platform. The probes were launched after France’s anti-fraud unit reported that Shein was selling the dolls, which sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. The company’s spokesman in France, Quentin Ruffat, stated that Shein would share names of buyers if requested and would be completely transparent with the authorities.
The controversy comes as Shein prepares to open its first physical store in the world, inside the prestigious BHV department store in central Paris. The store’s opening has been met with fierce resistance from critics who argue that Shein’s presence will further hurt struggling French retailers. Despite the backlash, Shein’s spokesman expressed confidence in the company’s products and stated that the sale of childlike sex dolls was a “malfunction in our processes and governance”.
Shein has since imposed a total ban on sex-doll-type products and deleted all related listings and images. The company’s decision to cooperate with the French authorities comes after France’s high commissioner for childhood, Sarah El Hairy, denounced the dolls as “paedophile objects that predators unfortunately sometimes use to practise before moving on to abusing children”. The Paris prosecutor’s office has also opened investigations against rival online retailers AliExpress, Temu, and Wish over the sale of sex dolls.
