Seoul authorities find toxic substances in Shein and Temu products

(AFP) – Women's accessories sold by some of the world's most popular online shopping companies contained toxic substances sometimes hundreds of times higher than acceptable levels, Seoul authorities said.

Chinese giants such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress have skyrocketed in global popularity in recent years, offering a wide selection of clothing and accessories at incredibly low prices that have helped them compete with US giant Amazon.

The explosive growth has led to increased scrutiny of its business practices and safety standards, including in the European Union and South Korea, where Seoul officials have been conducting weekly inspections of items sold by online platforms.

In the latest inspection, 144 products from Shein, AliExpress and Temu were tested, and several products from all companies did not meet legal standards.

Shein shoes were found to contain significantly high levels of phthalates (chemicals used to make plastics more flexible) and one pair had levels 229 times the legal limit.

“Phthalate-based plasticizers affect reproductive functions, such as reducing sperm count, and can cause infertility and even premature births,” an official from Seoul's environmental health team told AFP.

One of these chemicals “is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Cancer Institute, so special care must be taken to avoid long-term contact with the human body,” they added.

Formaldehyde, a chemical commonly used in home building products, was detected in Shein caps in amounts double the permitted threshold.

Two bottles of Shein nail polish were found to contain dioxane (a possible human carcinogen that can cause liver poisoning) at levels more than 3.6 times the permissible limit and methanol concentrations 1.4 times the acceptable level.

Shein told AFP that it “works closely with international third-party testing agencies… to regularly conduct risk-based sampling tests to ensure that products provided by suppliers meet Shein's product safety standards.”

“Our suppliers must comply with the controls and standards we have established, as well as with the product safety laws and regulations in the countries in which we operate,” the company added.

Seoul authorities found that Temu's sandals contained lead in the insoles at levels 11 times higher than the permitted limit.

“Upon receiving notification from the Seoul city government, we immediately launched an internal investigation,” a spokesman for Temu told AFP.

“We have quickly removed these product listings from our global marketplace and are enhancing our systems and guidance to merchants to ensure they comply with safety standards and local regulations.”

Seoul officials have asked that all products be withdrawn from sale, according to a government statement.

“Products that exceed the legal limit are those that come into direct contact with the body, such as leather sandals and hats, so citizens should pay special attention,” said Kim Tae-hee, an official in the capital.

“The Seoul Metropolitan Government will continue to conduct safety tests periodically and will release the results.”

In April, the European Union added Shein to its list of digital companies that are large enough to be subject to stricter safety rules, including measures to protect customers from unsafe products, especially those that could be harmful to minors.