Irish shoppers warned as SHEIN comes under fire for selling disturbing 'child-like' dolls

French authorities have threatened to block fast-fashion giant SHEIN after finding "child-like" dolls being sold on the platform with sexualised descriptions.

Among the products flagged was a life-size doll resembling a young child, posed with a teddy bear, and marketed in a sexualised manner. 

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SHEIN has since removed the disturbing listings and stated that it bans all sex-doll type products worldwide, stating that it has "robust internal procedures" to prevent inappropriate products from appearing on it's platform.

A spokesperson for SHEIN in France also said,

"We take this situation extremely seriously. This type of content is completely unacceptable and goes against all the values we stand for."

This comes as the retail giant is preparing to open it's first permanent physical store in Paris at the BHV shopping centre in the Marais district, intensifying scrutiny over online marketplaces, product safety as well as it's product oversight.

Protests broke out earlier this week outside the location of the SHEIN store, where local retailers, officials, and activists have been very vocal on the impact of ultra fast-fashion has on the environment and working conditions.

A petition opposing the store's opening gathered over 100,000 signatures and some brands have withdrawn from the BHV shopping centre in solidarity, emphasising concerns that SHEIN's arrival threatens so many local retailers.

The child-like dolls have been branded as "indecent and unacceptable" by the owner of the BHV centre, Frédéric Merlin.

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The French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) said the listings left "little doubt about the pedopornographic nature of the content".

While this controversy is centred in France, it raises questions for international consumers, including thousands across Ireland who use the online shopping platform.

Although there are no reports of these specific products being available to Irish customers, the incident highlights the broader risks from buying from global online marketplaces.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in Ireland has previously issued several recalls for products sold through SHEIN, including toys that pose serious choking hazards and slime toys that contain unsafe levels of a chemical called boron that can actually damage a child's reproductive system.

This controversy also feeds into ongoing discussions about the responsibilities of e-commerce platforms where third-party sellers can often list items that sometimes escape initial scrutiny, raising ethical and legal concerns.

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Fast fashion companies like SHEIN rely on high turnover and a vast catalogue of products, face increasing pressure to ensure stronger oversight and compliance with consumer protection laws.

Irish shoppers, while not directly impacted as of yet, are urged to stay vigilant when shopping online and are encouraged to report and similar instances with the CCPC.

Experts advise Irish consumers to:

• Carefully check product descriptions, especially for toys or dolls
• Monitor product safety alerts or recalls from the CCPC
• Be cautious with third-party listings and report any suspicious items.