Editor’s Note
This article highlights a recent investigation by Germany’s Stiftung Warentest, which found that a significant majority of products tested from major Chinese online platforms failed to meet EU safety and quality standards. The findings raise important questions about consumer protection in the global e-commerce market.
The German consumer organization Stiftung Warentest has tested products from the Chinese online platforms Shein and Temu. Two-thirds of them do not meet EU standards.
In total, Stiftung Warentest examined 162 products. In many cases, serious defects were identified.
Two-thirds of the articles do not meet EU standards. About a quarter were rated by the product testers as “potentially dangerous.” According to Ostermann, these were sometimes minor defects like a missing seal. However, sometimes toxic pollutants were also found in the products.
Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal that is carcinogenic.
For baby toys, Stiftung Warentest warns of a choking hazard. Several of the products consist of small parts that can easily come loose and be swallowed. Also notable were fabric cloths for babies that exceeded formaldehyde limits: The substance, intended to make textiles wrinkle-free, can cause contact allergies at too high a concentration.
Ten of the 27 tested chargers became hotter during charging than is permitted in the EU. In the worst case, this could lead to fires, according to Stiftung Warentest.
The “marketplace” principle is also practiced by online retailers like Amazon – so isolated problems of this kind can also occur there. However, Amazon was not examined in the current test.
The company Shein stated to WDR that it had immediately removed the criticized products from sale. Otherwise, Shein cast doubt on the results of Stiftung Warentest. For three articles, an “internationally recognized testing laboratory” had arrived at different results than the German testers. The company “looks forward” to discussing the differing test results with Stiftung Warentest.
Temu also stated in response to a WDR inquiry that the relevant products were promptly removed and the respective sellers were notified. A spokesperson referred to a “comprehensive quality assurance system.” Temu also works, among other things, with independent testing organizations to ensure the products offered meet required standards.
On the foundation’s homepage, consumers can search for the defective products using article numbers. Those who have already purchased one of the criticized products should dispose of it, advise the consumer advocates. Toxic pollutants should not go into household waste but should be taken to a hazardous waste collection point.
The product testers initially posed as “normal” buyers and complained in writing to Shein and Temu about the defects. In response, they received only standard replies. When Stiftung Warentest then officially notified the platforms of the defects, both platforms removed all of the criticized products from their assortment within a few days.
