France suspends online platform Shein amid sex-doll scandal

France has temporarily suspended the operations of the low-cost online platform Shein after it was found to have been selling sex dolls with child-like features.

The suspension was ordered by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Wednesday.

The government has initiated proceedings to suspend the Shein website until the Chinese-founded platform can prove to the authorities that all its content complies with French laws and regulations, the Economy Ministry said.

The ministers are expected to take stock of the situation within the next 48 hours.

The announcement came as Shein opened its first retail unit in France earlier on Wednesday in Paris, in the traditional BHV Marais department store.

Hundreds of people queued outside the store. Due to the high level of interest, entry was only possible with a special ticket, French media reported.

Demonstrators protested outside the building against fast fashion, the working conditions at the retailer and its environmental record.

The opening was controversial, coming days after Shein - which is now headquartered in Singapore - was accused of selling sex dolls with child-like features.

The French government then threatened to block the platform if the behaviour was repeated. According to French media reports, a man in France has since been arrested for ordering such a doll.

In addition, a conservative lawmaker raised the alarm because weapons are allegedly being sold via the online platform that are prohibited in France without special authorization.

According to the lawmaker, these weapons included knives and knuckle dusters.

In Germany, the fashion retailer reportedly has no plans for permanent stores for the time being.

"The store in France is Shein's first test run for a new brick-and-mortar retail concept that combines the advantages of online trading with the proximity and personal contact of physical retail," said a spokesman for the company.

He said it was still too early to draw conclusions for other markets. For Shein, the principle of "digital first" still applies, the spokesman added.

The company has previously opened several pop-up stores in Germany, most recently in Frankfurt.

Shein is one of the largest online shops in Germany. In a current ranking by the retail research institute EHI, the shopping portal ranks seventh. Last year, Shein's revenue in Germany increased by 18% to €1.1 billion ($1.26 billion).

This was supplemented by revenues from the marketplace business, where Shein does not sell directly but offers a platform for retailers - for a fee.

Providers like Shein are popular with consumers but controversial. Politicians, trade representatives and consumer advocates have criticized the quality of the products sold, a lack of checks and unfair competition conditions. They call for stricter regulation and better protection when shopping online.

Due to violations of EU regulations, Shein must make improvements in consumer protection. According to the European Commission, the fashion retailer has lured customers with missing or misleading information. The portal emphasizes its cooperation with the authorities.