France halts Shein suspension proceedings after sex dolls, weapons are withdrawn

PARIS (Reuters) -The French Finance Ministry on Friday halted the suspension proceedings of Chinese online retailer Shein initiated two days ago after the Chinese retailer withdrew all illicit products from its platforms. The French government started the process to block Shein in France on Wednesday after it found childlike sex dolls and weapons for sale on its site, the same day the fast-fashion retailer opened its first physical shop in a Paris department store. The finance ministry said it would suspend Shein's entire website in France, not just the marketplace, if banned products continue to be found for sale. On Friday, the French consumer watchdog observed that all the illegal products, including medicines, were no longer on Shein, the ministry said in a statement. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu asked the situation to be evaluated again next week, it added. "Shein will remain under close surveillance by state services." "Shein remains committed to dialogue with the French authorities in order to address the concerns raised and to present the measures we have put in place to continue improving," the company said in a statement. Judicial proceedings seeking the suspension of the platform are unaffected by Friday's decision, Lecornu said in a separate statement. The interior ministry has opened a case against Shein in a court in Paris, while a prosecutor has opened four investigations over the sale of the sex dolls, and customs will keep controlling all the goods it has seized. The French authorities will also investigate other platforms where the sale of illegal products were also spotted, the ministry said. (Reporting by Inti Landauro; Editing by Leslie Adler and Richard Chang)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)