A PYMNTS Company

France Flags Systemic Rule Violations in Online Marketplaces Amid EU Crackdown

By  |  April 29, 2026

France’s consumer protection authority has reported that a significant proportion of goods purchased from major international e-commerce platforms do not comply with European Union regulations, raising concerns about product safety and regulatory enforcement.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) said on Wednesday that 75% of the more than 600 products it tested in 2025 failed to meet EU standards, according to Reuters. The agency added that 46% of those items were not only non-compliant but also potentially dangerous.

    The products were sourced from seven foreign online platforms, though the regulator declined to identify them due to ongoing investigations. The DGCCRF noted that the scope of testing focused on high-risk categories, cautioning that the findings should not be interpreted as representative of all products sold on those platforms, according to Reuters.

    France has taken a leading role in a broader European effort to tighten oversight of discount e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu. Traditional retailers have argued that these companies benefit from a customs duty exemption on low-value goods shipped directly from factories in China, creating what they describe as an uneven competitive landscape.

    The DGCCRF said it would share its findings with the European Commission, which has enforcement powers under the EU’s Digital Services Act. The Commission can impose fines of up to 6% of a company’s global turnover and has already launched investigations into Shein, Temu, and AliExpress, according to Reuters.

    Among the most concerning findings were in electrical goods. The regulator reported that all tested electrical appliances, including hair-care devices, failed to comply with EU requirements, with nearly three-quarters considered dangerous due to risks such as electric shock or fire, per to Reuters.

    Other categories also showed widespread issues. Children’s products, jewellery, and clothing frequently breached safety rules, including choking hazards and excessive levels of harmful chemicals, the agency said.

    Officials withheld platform-specific results but indicated that the scale of non-compliance suggests systemic issues rather than isolated incidents. “When you are at 70–75% 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 isn’t a judgement, just a statement of fact.”

    Source: Reuters