25 consumer organizations in Europe, including Belgian Testlekoop, have filed a complaint with the European authorities against the Chinese web store Shein.
The consumer organizations accuse Shein of misleading practices. For example, the company would ensure that consumers buy more than they actually intended. “Shein uses certain techniques, so -called ‘dark patterns’ to make consumers buy more unknowingly,” says the organization.
For example, it is about messages about limited stocks (“only X about”), counters for flash sales (“only 2:00 am to take advantage of the offer”), social pressure through testimonials and “confirm-shaming” (“You are eligible for a promotion! Are you sure you want to go?”).
At the end of last month, the economic inspections of Belgium, France, Ireland and the Netherlands, and the European Commission, threatened with measures against Shein, because according to them the web store is guilty of illegal commercial practices. The company was given a month to respond and make proposals to improve the practices.
In a response, Shein says that the company wants to cooperate constructively with the authorities to “prove that we want to respect the laws and rules of the EU”.