Shein has introduced a worldwide ban on all sex-doll products after French regulators accused the platform of selling dolls that resembled minors.
The move comes just days before the company opens its first physical shop in Paris.
French prosecutors have formally launched investigations into Shein and other major online retailers, including AliExpress, Temu, and Wish. Authorities say the probes relate to platforms allowing violent or pornographic content that could be accessed by children.
The French anti-fraud agency recently reported that Shein listings included dolls with childlike features, prompting strong criticism and political pressure. Shein initially removed the items, but has now introduced a complete global ban and said all linked listings have been deleted. The company added that a new internal team will monitor listings more actively.
French daily Le Parisien published a photo of one of the dolls sold on the platform, accompanied by an explicitly sexual caption. It said that the doll shown in the picture measured around 80 centimetres (30 inches) in height and was holding a teddy bear.
Shein’s chief executive, Donald Tang, said that although the publications had come from third-party vendors, he was taking personal responsibility for them.
France’s finance ministry warned that Shein could face action if the dolls reappear on the platform. Other platforms named in the report have also removed similar products, and French officials say legal proceedings are underway in some cases.
The controversy is unfolding as Shein prepares to launch a store at BHV Marais in central Paris — a partnership that has already led some brands to pull out of the department store.
Shein, originally founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore, is already under scrutiny in Europe over concerns about illegal products, environmental impact, and labour practices. The company has been fined multiple times in France this year for misleading information and non-compliance with marketing and transparency regulations.