France investigates Shein and Temu after sex doll scandal

The French government says it is initiating proceedings to suspend the online platform of Asian online giant Shein, after prosecutors said they were investigating the company over childlike sex dolls found on its website.

The economy ministry said under the prime minister's order proceedings would last for "as long as necessary for the platform to prove to authorities that all of its content is finally in compliance with our laws and regulations".

The government's move was announced little more than an hour after Shein opened its first physical store in the world, on the sixth floor of Paris department store BHV.

Shoppers queued to get into the store, while protesters screamed "Shame!" at them.

Shein has promised to co-operate fully with Paris prosecutors who are also investigating three other platforms - Temu, AliExpress and Wish. Allegations surrounding the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein first came to light from France's anti-fraud office at the weekend.

BHV's decision to house the fast-fashion giant has angered rival clothing brands and a number have said they will leave the prestigious department store in protest.

Protests against the opening continued inside the store, and one person let off a foul-smelling spray.

Shein, which was founded in China, is also set to open outlets in seven other cities, inside Galeries Lafayette department stores run by SGM. But Galeries Lafayette has refused to have anything to do with Shein and will withdraw its name from the stores in Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Mans, Limoges, Orléans and Reims.

The Paris prosecutor's office said Shein and the other three e-commerce platforms were being investigated over violent, pornographic or "undignified messages" that could be accessed by minors.

Shein and AliExpress are also under investigation over the dissemination of content related to children that are of a pornographic nature, the prosecutor's office said.

The cases have been referred to the Paris Office des Mineurs, the prosecution service added. The office is an arm of the French police force that oversees the protection of minors.

AliExpress said the listings in question violated its policies and were removed once it became aware of them.

"Sellers found to violate or trying to circumvent these requirements will be penalised in accordance with our rules," AliExpress said in a statement.

On Monday, Shein said it had banned the sale of all sex dolls on its platform worldwide. The Singapore-based retailer also said that it would permanently block all seller accounts related to the illegal sale of the childlike dolls and set stricter controls on its platform.

The French consumer watchdog, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, said the sex dolls' description and categorisation left "little doubt as to the child pornography nature" of the products.