Online retail giant Shein says it has banned the sale of all sex dolls on its platform around the world, after being accused of displaying products with a childlike appearance on its website.
The French consumer watchdog first raised concerns at the weekend over the description and categorisation of the dolls, saying it left little doubt as to the child pornography nature of the content.
Shein announced that it has permanently banned all seller accounts linked to illegal or non-compliant sex-doll products and will tighten controls across its global platform, temporarily removing its adult products category as a precaution.
Every listing and image related to the sex dolls has been removed from Shein's platform, the firm confirmed, and it will conduct a thorough review to implement stricter controls on sellers. The company has also strengthened its keyword blacklist to prevent attempts at circumventing product listing restrictions.
Donald Tang, Shein’s executive chairman, stated: The fight against child exploitation is non-negotiable for Shein. These were marketplace listings from third-party sellers - but I take this personally. He added that they are tracing the source of the issue and will enact swift measures against responsible parties.
Concerns following the initial complaints led to the French finance minister threatening to ban Shein from the country if the sales continued. This happened just days before the planned opening of its first permanent store in Paris, prompting protests outside the BHV department store where the outlet was set to launch.
Shein has faced scrutiny over its fast-fashion practices and environmental impact, as well as the conditions under which its products are manufactured.
