France: 75% of imported products did not meet EU rules

The consumer protection authority in France announced that three quarters of imported products from major online platforms failed to meet standards of the European Union. And 46 percent were non-complaint and dangerous. The regulator tested seven platforms, but did not name which ones.

The French Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) has announced that it has analyzed more than 600 products that were bought from seven foreign online marketplaces, in 2025. The amount of analyzed products is triple the amount that was tested in previous years.

In 2024, European market authorities also analyzed imported products from Shein, AliExpress and Temu. In their report, between 85 to 95 percent of products did not comply with product regulations from the European Union.

Fines up to 6% of turnover possible

The French regulator now says that 75 percent of analyzed products failed to meet EU rules. And 46 percent were both non-complaint and dangerous. It will share its findings with the European Commission, which could impose fines of up to 6 percent of global turnover on these platforms, under the EU’s Digital Services Act. The Commission is currently already investigating Shein, Temu and AliExpress.

All electrical appliances were non-compliant

All electrical appliances that were tested, like hair-care devices, were non-compliant. And almost three quarters of them were considered dangerous, because of the risks of electrical shock or fire. Children’s products, jewelry and clothes showed widespread breaches, including choking risks and excessive levels of chemicals, according to the DGCCRF.

‘We are not dealing with an exception, it is part of the business model’

Because of ongoing investigations, the French regulator did not share which platforms were analyzed and what their individual results were. However, the scale of failures do point towards structural problems rather than isolated issues, said representatives. “When you are at 70 to 75 percent non‑compliance, you are ​no longer ⁠dealing with an exception, it is part of the business model”, an official said during a DGCCRF press briefing. “This is not a judgement, just a statement of fact.”