South Korean authorities find toxic substances in Shein and Temu e-commerce products

South Korean authorities say toxic substances have been found in some products from the Chinese e-commerce giant.

During the inspection conducted by relevant national departments, more than 100 Xie Ning, AliExpress and Temon Some products do not meet legal standards.

Shein shoes were found to contain high levels of phthalates, a chemical used as a softener for plastics. One pair of shoes tested exceeded the limit by 229 times.

On the other hand, the lead content in the soles of Temu sandals exceeded the permissible limit by more than 11 times.

Concentrations of substances harmful to the human body exceeding permissible limits were also found in Shein’s caps and two nail polish bottles.

Temu said he had started an investigation

According to a South Korean government statement, authorities have called for a halt to sales of the products.

Shein told AFP the company worked closely with testing agencies who regularly sampled products to ensure they met product safety standards.

Temu told AFP that it had begun an internal investigation into the matter following the findings of South Korean authorities. The products in question have been removed from international online stores, and Temu said it would enhance its systems and instructions to merchants to ensure safety standards were met.

Online shopping giants are being controlled

As e-commerce giants that sell products at rock-bottom prices have grown rapidly, their business practices and safety standards have come under greater scrutiny. In South Korea, authorities inspect products sold on online platforms every week.

The Finnish Consumers’ Federation and the European Consumers’ Organisation Did In May, Temus filed a complaint with authorities and the European Commission for violations of the EU Digital Services Act. Previously, several organizations had also expressed concerns about the safety of the products they sold.

In April, the European Union Your name Shein has become a very large online company, which means the company has to follow stricter safety rules. These rules include measures to protect consumers from dangerous products, among other things.