Brussels, 6 February 2025
Today, the Commission has sent a request for information (RFI) to Shein, a global online fashion and lifestyle retailer, under the powers granted by the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Commission is requesting Shein to provide internal documents and more detailed information on risks linked to the presence of illegal content and goods on its marketplace, on the transparency of its recommender systems, and on the access to data for qualified researchers.
Moreover, the Commission is requesting Shein to provide detailed information on the measures adopted to mitigate risks relating to consumer protection, public health and users’ wellbeing. The Commission is also requesting details on the protection of users’ personal data.
Shein must provide the necessary information by 27 February 2025. Based on the assessment of the replies, the Commission will determine the next steps. This could entail the formal opening of proceedings pursuant to Article 66 of the DSA.
The request for information relates to the ongoing DSA investigation against Shein. It is without prejudice to the ongoing investigation by the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network and coordinated by the Commission regarding Shein’s compliance with its obligations under Union consumer law, that is complementary to the Commission’s investigation under the DSA.
The Commission has already sent an RFI to Shein on 28 June 2024 on the measures they took to comply with the DSA obligations related to the so-called ‘Notice and Action mechanism’ to notify illegal products, ‘dark patterns’ on its online interfaces, the protection of minors, the transparency of recommender systems, the traceability of traders and compliance by design.
The Commission published yesterday a Communication on a Comprehensive EU Toolbox for Safe and Sustainable E-commerce, that seeks to tackle challenges stemming from low-value imports from non-EU traders at each stage of the product’s life cycle, including by focusing DSA enforcement actions on e-commerce practices.
Source – EU Commission