Forex – Two members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have called on the agency to investigate the security practices of “foreign-funded” e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu, particularly over claims that they sell “deadly baby and child products.”
CPSC Board Members Peter Feldman and Douglas Dziak said the agency should look into Temu and Shein’s safety and compliance audits, their dealings with third-party sellers and consumers, and “any statements they made when importing products.”
“We seek to better understand these companies’ focus on low-cost direct-to-consumer – sometimes called de minimis – shipments and the enforcement challenges that companies with little or no U.S. presence face when distributing consumer products through these platforms,” the commissioners wrote.
Last month, The Information reported that Temu offers padded crib bumpers, which are banned in the U.S. because they pose a suffocation hazard, while Shein sells children’s hoodies with drawstrings that regulators say are a safety hazard.
A Shein spokesperson said in a statement that customer safety is a top priority and that the company has invested millions of dollars to strengthen its compliance programs, including partnering with testing organizations to improve product safety practices. A Temu representative said in a statement that it requires all sellers on its site to comply with laws and regulations, including those related to product safety. “Our interests in consumer protection and product safety are aligned with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and we will fully cooperate with any investigation,” the Temu spokesperson said.
