EU fines Temu for failing to stop sale of illegal and dangerous products

The European Commission has fined the Chinese shopping website Temu €200 million for failing to prevent the sale of illegal and dangerous products. A 19-month investigation found consumers were highly likely to encounter unsafe items, including baby toys and electronics, on the platform. The penalty, imposed under the EU's Digital Services Act, stems from Temu's inadequate risk assessment regarding unsafe products. Regulators also criticized Temu's website design for potentially amplifying the dissemination of illegal goods. Temu has the right to appeal the fine and must submit an action plan by August 28th detailing how it will address the issues.

The European Commission has fined Chinese-owned online retailer Temu €200 million for allowing the sale of illegal products, including dangerous baby toys and faulty chargers. The Commission found that Temu failed to adequately identify and assess the risks associated with these products and the potential harm to consumers. This decision stems from an investigation initiated in October 2024 concerning Temu's compliance as a Very Large Online Platform under EU law. A mystery shopping exercise revealed that a significant number of chargers failed safety tests and many baby toys posed suffocation or chemical risks. Temu disagrees with the fine, calling it disproportionate, and must submit an action plan by August 28 to address the identified failures.