US regulators to investigate Shein, Temu over ‘deadly’ baby products

NEW YORK –

Shein and Temu, two Chinese discount e-commerce websites, are the targets of a proposed investigation by the US government over the sale of “deadly baby and toddler products.”

Two leaders of the Consumer Products Safety Commission said in an open letter Wednesday that they want commission officials to investigate how the two companies are complying with U.S. safety regulations.

Citing “recent media reports” that dangerous products marketed to children are easily found on the websites, CPSC Commissioners Peter Feldman and Douglas Dziak said they want to “better understand these companies, particularly their focus on low-value, direct-to-consumer shipments.”

Of particular concern to the Commission is the companies’ use of “de minmis,” a rule that exempts shipments worth $800 or less from tariffs. Many of the products sold on Shein and Temu are low-cost, ranging from furniture to fast fashion.

“As the Commission sets its priorities for next year, we expect agency staff to examine the companies’ safety and compliance controls, relationships with third-party sellers and consumers, and any representations they make when products are imported,” Feldman and Dziak wrote.

Shein told CNN in a statement that customer safety “is our top priority and we are investing millions of dollars to strengthen our compliance programs.” Temu said it “requires all sellers on our platform to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including those related to product safety.”

As the popularity of the two companies grows, especially in the US, they are also facing criticism and questions on a variety of issues, such as how they can sell goods at such remarkably low prices, how transparent they are to the public, and how much pollution their business generates.

Last year, a U.S. Congressional committee published a report exposing Shein and Temu, suggesting that the companies and others in China may have been involved in the use of forced labor, exploitation of trade gaps, product safety hazards and intellectual property theft.