this post was submitted on 03 Nov 2025
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France's finance minister threatened on Monday, November 3, to ban Shein from the country if the Asian e-commerce giant resumes selling "childlike" sex dolls, just days before it opens its first physical store in Paris. The warning followed France's anti-fraud unit on Saturday reporting that the company was selling dolls of a likely "child pornography nature."

On its website, Le Parisien daily published a photo of one of the dolls sold on the platform, accompanied by an explicitly sexual caption. Shortly after the fraud watchdog's statement, Shein announced that the dolls had been withdrawn from its platform and that it had launched an internal inquiry.

Finance Minister Roland Lescure warned on Monday he would move to ban the company from the French market if the items returned online. "These horrible items are illegal," he told the BFMTV broadcaster, promising a judicial investigation.

Shein is due on Wednesday to open its first physical store in the world inside the prestigious BHV Marais department store in central Paris, a move that has sparked outrage in France. The Singapore-based company, which was originally founded in China, has faced criticism over working conditions at its factories and the environmental impact of its ultra-fast fashion business model. Some brands have pulled their products from BHV Marais since the announcement.

[...]

France has already fined Shein three times in 2025 for a total of €191 million ($220 million). Those sanctions were imposed for failing to comply with online cookie legislation, false advertising, misleading information and not declaring the presence of plastic microfibers in its products. The European Commission is also investigating Shein over risks linked to illegal products, while EU lawmakers have approved legislation aimed at curbing the environmental impact of fast fashion.

[...]

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[–] markpaskal@lemmy.ca 5 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Ah yes, the dolls that “aren’t hurting anyone” according to the pedos that buy them. There will be someone in this thread defending their child sex dolls before long.

[–] mrcleanup@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago

It's this horrifying? Sure.

Does it trigger a protective instinct in most people? Absolutely.

Are there any studies that show whether something like this helps or hurts pedophile behavior around real children and their likelihood to abuse or not? I'd love to know.

If I had to choose between banning these out of a sense of moral indignation or lowering the rates of child SA... I'd really like to see some data.

[–] troybot@midwest.social 10 points 9 hours ago

Fantastic placement for that ad banner

[–] CluckN@lemmy.world 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

France? The same people that made Cuties?

[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 6 points 7 hours ago

And you know, currently houses Roman Polanski. Seriously, at 92, this shit stain is still alive and free.

[–] ICCrawler@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)