On February 14th, the European Commission sought additional information from the online fashion retailer Shein as part of the Digital Services Act.

This request follows a day after the Commission initiated a consumer protection investigation into the company and released a set of measures aimed at tackling the compliance issues related to Chinese online marketplaces.

The DSA inquiry aims to gather information concerning risks associated with illegal content and products on Shein's platform, the transparency of its recommendation systems, access to data for qualified researchers, and measures intended to safeguard consumer rights, public health, and user well-being.

Founded in China and currently based in Singapore, Shein has until February 27th to provide a response.

This inquiry builds on a request made last June regarding the company’s adherence to requirements concerning the notice and action mechanism for illegal products, dark patterns, minor protection, and trader traceability.

A Shein spokesperson mentioned that the company is diligently working to respond to the request and highlighted its dedication to facilitating secure online shopping for consumers in the EU.

The Commission will evaluate Shein's response to determine the next steps, while ongoing DSA investigations are also targeting other prominent online platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and X.