Shein says French consumers may face higher prices if the EU imposes handling fees and France enacts new penalties on fast fashion. The platform criticizes the lack of dialogue with authorities as pressure mounts on budget e-commerce models.
Shein has warned that shoppers in France could soon pay significantly more for their orders if proposed European Union and French regulations targeting low-cost online retailers are adopted.
Speaking to Sud Radio, Quentin Ruffat, Shein’s spokesperson in France, voiced concern over two key developments: an EU proposal to introduce a handling fee on e-commerce shipments entering the bloc, and a French bill that imposes penalties on fast-fashion products due to their environmental impact.
"Why tax us? Why not have a discussion, find a solution between public officials and e-commerce platforms?" Ruffat questioned during the interview.
Under the EU proposal, a €2 fee would be charged on each package shipped directly to a customer within the 27-member bloc, while a smaller €0.50 fee would apply to parcels processed through EU-based warehouses. The plan is widely seen as a blow to platforms like Shein and rival Temu, which have built global businesses by offering inexpensive goods and taking advantage of customs exemptions for low-value items.
Ruffat also cited the French bill, which was passed by the lower house of parliament in March and is seen as specifically targeting fast-fashion giants. He warned that by 2030, the combined effects of the EU fee and the French legislation could raise the price of Shein products in France by as much as €12 per item.
While the proposed EU measure still requires approval from member states and the European Parliament, France - one of the most influential voices in the bloc - has already backed the fee.
The European Commission previously announced it would end the exemption from customs duties for e-commerce packages valued under €150 by 2028. Meanwhile, the U.S. has also recently moved to tighten oversight by eliminating its "de minimis" rule, which had allowed duty-free entry for packages under $800.
Russian strikes hit several parts of Ukraine overnight, injuring at least six people and targeting energy and port infrastructure, as President Vol...
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they had targeted Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline pumping stations and King Khalid In...
Serbia's Aleksandar Vučić ...
Serbia's Aleksandar Vučić has conceded defeat after a student-led protest movement took the majority of seats in Sunday's parliamentary elections.
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heritage of Samarkand belongs to Persian or Iranian-Islamic civilisation, Tashkent's Foreign Ministry said.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council says senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye will travel to Tehran to discuss regional security.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has returned to the South American nation almost a year after she secretly left the country to travel to Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.
At least five people were killed and several others injured in overnight attacks across Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, 25 October, as officials reported strikes on residential areas and industrial facilities, while Moscow claimed to have targeted logistics infrastructure and a cargo vessel.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has secured another four years in office, but slowing growth, expensive credit and mounting public debt threaten to test the economic gains of his previous term.
Kazakhstan marks Republic Day on 25 October with an ambitious economic agenda and a growing partnership with Azerbaijan, as the two Caspian neighbours pursue a $1 billion annual bilateral trade target and expand cooperation in transport, energy and digital infrastructure.
Azerbaijan's economy is forecast to grow by 1.7 per cent in 2026 and 2.3 per cent in 2027, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while growth across the wider Caucasus and Central Asia region is expected to slow.
As fuel prices surge nearly 37 per cent and protests over living costs turn violent, French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking fresh energy supplies and partnerships in the Gulf. But can diplomacy abroad ease mounting pressure at home?
Azerbaijan and Georgia are targeting more than $2 billion in bilateral trade as the neighbouring countries strengthen energy partnerships, expand transport links and pursue new investment opportunities.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment