70% of Products from Shein and Temu Fail Safety Standards, European Consumer Groups Find

A recent inspection conducted by consumer associations in Belgium, Germany, and Denmark has found that 70% of products ordered from online marketplaces Shein and Temu failed to meet European safety standards. The study, coordinated by Belgium-based Testachats and its counterparts, examined a total of 162 items, including toys for young children, USB chargers, and necklaces. The tested items were scrutinized for mechanical, electrical, chemical, and labeling compliance, resulting in 112 products being found with at least one significant safety issue and deemed illegal for sale within the EU.

Among the concerning findings, all toys bought from Shein and 26 out of 27 toys from Temu were found to contain small detachable parts that could pose a choking hazard, dangerous designs, or toxic materials. Around 60% of the toys presented moderate to high safety risks. The USB chargers also raised alarms, with 52 out of 54 failing at least one aspect of the safety tests. In some cases, devices reached temperatures over 100°C when overloaded, and only one charger from each platform passed every test.

For necklaces and jewelry, the issues were less widespread but still serious, as several products were discovered to contain heavy metals at thousands of times the permitted level, particularly cadmium, a known carcinogen. One necklace contained cadmium at 8,500 times the legal limit. Julie Frère, a spokesperson for Testachats, warned that buying from Temu or Shein can be like playing Russian roulette, urging consumers to be cautious. In response, Belgian Environment Minister Jean-Luc Crucke has launched a new inspection campaign to crack down on hazardous items, after customs officers reported alarmingly high heavy metal content in some imported products.