Paris court orders Shein to verify age for sex toy sales or risk fines

A Paris court ordered Shein to implement age verification measures for any adult products sold on its marketplace on Friday and set a 10,000 euro ($11,709) fine for any breach, after uproar over childlike sex dolls for sale on its website.

The court rejected the French government's request to suspend Shein's website as a whole for three months, saying it would be "disproportionate", a decision that alleviates some of the pressure the Chinese online platform has faced in France.

"We welcome this decision. We remain committed to continuously improving our control processes, in close collaboration with the French authorities, with the aim of establishing some of the most stringent standards in the industry, and we have been intensifying these efforts," a Shein spokesperson said in a statement following the ruling.

"Our priority remains protecting French consumers and ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations," they added.

Shein has been at the centre of a scandal since France's consumer watchdog found banned weapons and sex dolls resembling children for sale on its marketplace, prompting a government attempt to suspend the platform.

The French government began proceedings to suspend Shein on November 5, less than two hours after its first ever physical store opened in the BHV department store in Paris.

Shein suspended its marketplace - where third-party sellers list their products - but its site selling Shein-branded clothing remains accessible. The company also stopped selling sex toys on its marketplaces worldwide.