On Thursday 5 June, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) announced that it had lodged a complaint with the European Commission and the CPC network against the online sales platform Shein, accused of using misleading interfaces (‘dark patterns’).
“These techniques push consumers to buy more than planned and fuel the environmental and societal problems caused by the low-cost fashion industry” (‘fast fashion’), says the association in its press release.
BEUC is asking the Commission to force Shein to change its practices, which are “unfair” under European law, and to prove the “authenticity and veracity” of the many promotional and ‘low stock’ messages displayed to consumers.
The platform has already been criticised by the Commission, at the end of May (see EUROPE 13648/7), for its “false discounts” based on fictitious prices, its “pressure techniques” used to force the hand of consumers and its misleading claims about the sustainability and environmental impact of the products sold.
In addition, Shein was already in the EU’s sights under the Digital Services Act (DSA) (see EUROPE 13442/6). (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)