he European Union must take action against Shein, French government officials said on Thursday (November 6), saying the Chinese online retailer was in breach of the bloc's regulations due to the sale of child-like sex dolls and banned weapons on its marketplace.

France moved to ban Shein over the illicit products on Wednesday (November 5), prompting the company to suspend its marketplace in the country as it reviewed how third-party sellers operate on it. It had already halted the sale of all sex dolls worldwide.

"The platform is evidently in breach of European rules," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in an interview with radio station Franceinfo. "The European Commission must take action. It cannot wait any longer."

Shein's website in France was still viewable on Thursday. But it showed only its own-brand clothing, for which it is best known, rather than the vast array of toys, homeware and gadgets normally available on its marketplace, which has been a growing source of revenue for the company.

Shein did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Thursday.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 5, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF SHEIN'S FRENCH MARKETPLACE HOMEPAGE

2. VARIOUS OF ITEMS ON SALE IN WOMEN'S SECTION

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (FILE – AUGUST 22, 2024) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

3. VARIOUS DRONE VIEWS OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION

4. DRONE VIEW OF EU FLAGS

PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 6, 2025) (FRANCEINFO - No re-use after November 7, 2025 at 0800GMT / Must on-screen courtesy "Franceinfo" / News access only)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, JEAN-NOEL BARROT, SAYING:

"The platform is evidently in breach of European rules that we obtained in 2022 with France's push. I think the European Commission must take action. It cannot wait any longer."

PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 5, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

6. VARIOUS OF ITEMS ON SALE IN WOMEN'S SECTION OF SHEIN

7. PRICE TAG FOR SWEATER ON SALE FOR 14.69 EUROS ($16.86)

PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 6, 2025) (FRANCEINFO - No re-use after November 7, 2025 at 0800GMT / Must on-screen courtesy "Franceinfo" / News access only)

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, JEAN-NOEL BARROT, SAYING:

"Be it marketplaces, in which we exchange products, or social media, you can see well all the abuses that pose questions of public order, of public safety and that pose a threat to the quality of our public debate. We regulated all of this with rules, which are not respected, and so the European Commission - it's been three years since we adopted these rules - should take action. It can impose sanctions."

PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 5, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

9. SHEIN SIGN NEXT TO MANNEQUINS IN NEWLY INAUGURATED SHEIN SPACE IN BHV DEPARTMENT STORE

10. PEOPLE SHOPPING

11. PERSON LOOKING AT JACKETS

12. SHEIN SIGN