An investigation into fast-fashion retailer Shein is underway in France after sex dolls with childlike features were allegedly found for sale on their online marketplaces, according to reports.
Per Reuters, the probe followed outrage from French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, who said he wanted to ban Shein in France for allowing the sale of these products.
Lescure warned on social media that access to the SHEIN platform could be “banned from the French market.” His threat came days before Shein is set to open its first physical store in Paris.
On Tuesday, Reuters also reported that several retailers, including Shein, were being investigated for alleged rule breaches, including minors being able to access pornographic content on their marketplaces, according to Paris officials.
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The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had received a complaint from the consumer watchdog, or DGCCRF, and referred the case to the National Office for Minors to investigate, per Reuters.
The new investigation follows revelations that Shein’s marketplace had also hosted the sex dolls, which resembled children, allegedly listed by third-party sellers.
“Shein will co-operate 100% with the justice system,” company spokesperson Quentin Ruffat told RMC radio in France Tuesday, per reports.
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“I have heard the concerns of the children’s commissioner… these issues of child sexual abuse are too serious to be ignored,” he told the network.
Ruffat also told news network BFM TV that the dolls had been available since Oct. 16 and that Shein was “in the process of sacking all the offending vendors from the platform.”
He added that the company would share the names of the sellers and buyers with investigators.
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Shein had pulled the dolls from its site on Sunday. On Monday, the retailer imposed a total ban on sex dolls and suspended its adult products category.
Shein Executive Chairman Donald Tang confirmed that the company removed all products related to the recent controversy over the sale of the childlike sex dolls and is actively tracing the source.
In a statement, Tang said: “Combating child exploitation is non-negotiable for Shein. These were marketplace listings from third-party sellers, but I take this personally.”
“We are tracing the source and will take swift, decisive action against those responsible,” he added.
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Despite the removal, child-protection NGO Mouv’Enfants staged a protest outside the BHV department store in Paris on Monday, Shein’s first permanent shop.
FOX Business reached out to Shein, French Finance Minister, Roland Lescure and the Paris Prosecutor’s office for comment.
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