The European Commission has reported that 91% of cheap e-commerce goods entering the EU are from China. This has raised concerns about safety and quality. A recent incident in Hamburg, Germany, highlights the growing problem.
A model plane enthusiast narrowly escaped injury when a propeller from a gas-powered model plane split in two. One piece flew off like a sword, nearly hitting him. Platforms like Temu and AliExpress have seen a rise in complaints about poor-quality and counterfeit items.
The European Commission is now increasing its scrutiny of these e-tailers. The focus is on ensuring consumer safety and compliance with EU regulations. This move comes in response to a significant number of substandard products making their way into Europe.
Many of these products have been linked to dangerous incidents like the one in Hamburg. As e-commerce continues to grow, regulating the influx of foreign goods becomes more challenging. European consumers are advised to be cautious and report any unsafe products they find online.
A series of studies has revealed that fashion and beauty products sold on popular e-commerce platforms contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals. The platforms include Shein, Temu, and AliExpress. Investigative product testing found that items like shoes and nail polish contained harmful substances at levels far exceeding safety limits.
These substances include phthalates, formaldehyde, PFAs, and lead. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens or endocrine disruptors. They can make conditions like dermatitis and eczema worse.
Many clothing items and products made of plastic and petrochemicals contain toxic substances. However, national safety standards regulate their levels. Tests conducted by Seoul’s government on 144 products from these e-tailers found that many items contained chemicals at concentrations hundreds of times above the accepted safety limits.
For example, a pair of shoes from Shein was found to have phthalates at 428 times the permissible level. Another pair had 229 times the limit. The Australian consumer watchdog points out that phthalates are suspected carcinogens and may disrupt hormones.
A pair of shoes from Temu contained 11 times the permissible limit of lead. According to the World Health Organization, even small amounts of lead can impair multiple organs when absorbed through skin contact. Temu removed the specific shoes from their website once the issue was flagged.
Beauty products also failed toxicology tests. Nail polish from Shein was found to contain three times the acceptable level of dioxane, a possible carcinogen. The caps contained formaldehyde at twice the safe limit.
temu faces increased safety scrutiny
Exposure to low levels of formaldehyde can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and cause skin and lung allergies. The Seoul study is not the only research highlighting the toxicity of products sold by online retailers.
Another study led by environmental chemist Miriam Diamond from the University of Toronto found similar results. Out of a sample of 38 products, including children’s, adults’, and maternity clothing, one in five contained dangerous levels of lead, PFAs, and phthalates. Shein was cited as a major offender.
Additional tests in the UK revealed unsafe levels of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and antimony in some children’s products sold on Temu. These could cause “serious mental and physiological disorders.”
Sustainability advocates emphasize that these issues are not confined to Shein and Temu. The advocacy group Common Hours states that many companies endanger consumers and garment workers with unsustainable products.
The group is calling for a boycott of the fashion industry to protest against these hazardous practices. Temu has been contacted for comment. European regulators are considering introducing a “handling charge” to replace the current de minimis rule.
This rule allows goods valued at less than €150 to enter the EU without customs duties. The move aims to address the increasing flow of cheap imports into the bloc. These imports have raised concerns over declining product standards and unfair competition.
In recent years, the volume of low-value goods entering the EU has surged dramatically. Last year, these imports hit 4.6 billion, nearly double the 2.4 billion recorded in 2023 and triple the 1.4 billion in 2022. The majority, about 91%, originated from China.
The European Commission (EC) said, “The rapid increase of imports shipped directly to consumers raises significant challenges that require urgent attention. Surging volumes of unsafe, counterfeit, or otherwise non-compliant products lead to serious safety and health risks, have an unsustainable impact on the environment, and fuel unfair competition.”
The EC highlighted the strain placed on authorities due to the sheer number of products imported directly by consumers under the current de minimis rule. The new handling charge is seen as a measure to alleviate some of these pressures and ensure that imports meet safety and compliance standards.
Legislators in Brussels want to develop a harmonized response across the 27 member states. They see the potential rule change as a way to support SMEs currently struggling against cheap imports from China. A report by the EC noted that SMEs suffer direct losses from counterfeiting and piracy.
Victims have a 34% lower chance of survival than those not affected. The clothing sector, for instance, loses an average of €12 billion in annual sales, or 5.2% of revenues, to counterfeit goods. Similarly, the cosmetics industry loses about 4.8% of its sales, worth €3 billion.
The toys sector sees an 8.7% loss in yearly sales, amounting to €1 billion. In contrast to the EC’s measured approach, the US recently revoked the de minimis exemption for Chinese shippers, leading to significant disruptions. This revocation was temporarily halted as the Trump administration sought to address the resulting backlog of parcels.
A spokesperson for DHL commented, “We will continue to monitor the situation and work with our customers to help them understand and adapt to any future changes that may come into effect.”
The ongoing debate and different approaches underscore the complexities of managing the influx of low-value imports while balancing economic and regulatory impacts on trade and local businesses. Further details on the EU’s proposed handling fee and its implementation across member states are awaited.
