Shein Takes a Stand: Banning Controversial Sex Dolls Amid Outrage

Online retail giant Shein has made a decisive move to ban the sale of all sex dolls on its platform globally, following a wave of backlash over products that critics claimed had a ”childlike appearance.” This decision was prompted by concerns raised by the French consumer watchdog regarding potential links to child pornography, leading to a full review of the products listed on their site.

The company reported that they have removed every listing and image associated with these controversial dolls and have permanently banned all seller accounts linked to illegal or non-compliant items. In a further measure, Shein has temporarily removed its adult products category as a precaution while tightening controls and strengthening their keyword blacklist to prevent sellers from circumventing these restrictions.

Executive chairman Donald Tang emphasized Shein’s commitment to combatting child exploitation, stating, “This fight is non-negotiable for Shein” and acknowledged the urgency of tracing the source of the offending listings.

Additionally, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that it had received complaints concerning Shein, Ali Express, Temu, and Wish, all under scrutiny for selling similar inappropriate products. The investigation into these retailers was referred to OFMIN, an agency dedicated to preventing violence against minors.

France’s finance minister issued a strong warning, threatening to ban Shein from operating in France if they did not remove these listings, just days before the opening of Shein’s first physical store in Paris. Protests occurred outside the BHV department store, coinciding with public discontent over the brand’s reputation, previously marred by allegations of poor environmental practices and questionable working conditions in their production facilities.