France's Showdown with E-Commerce Giants: The Shein Saga

France is gearing up for what it calls a 'year of resistance' against e-commerce platforms like Shein in 2026, according to Serge Papin, Minister for small and medium-sized businesses. The online retail giant is under scrutiny for providing unfair competition to local French retailers.

Papin's remarks come as a Paris court hears the government's appeal against a previous ruling that rejected a temporary three-month suspension of Shein, where controversy arose after child-like sex dolls were found for sale. Papin emphasized the need for Shein to adhere to consumer rules observed by French retailers.

With the explosive growth of platforms such as Shein, which ships products directly from China at minimal costs, traditional retailers in Europe are struggling to keep up. In response, both France and the European Union have implemented flat taxes on small parcels, and lawmakers are working on a bill to allow suspension of such platforms without court approval.