EU fines Temu for failing to stop sale of illegal and dangerous products

EU regulators have fined the Chinese shopping website Temu €200m (£173m) for failing to stop the sale of illegal and dangerous products. The European Commission imposed the penalty after a 19-month investigation that found consumers were very likely to encounter illegal or unsafe products including baby toys and electronics on the firm’s website. An unpublished mystery shopping exercise carried out for the commission found a “high percentage” of unsafe baby products and a “very high percentage” of dangerous chargers for sale on the platform, as well as unsafe clothes and jewellery. Consumer groups across Europe have previously reported baby toys with loose parts presenting choking hazards, dummy chains long enough that they could strangle a child, jewellery laced with dangerous metals including lead, clothes made with banned chemicals and chargers that posed risks of burns, electric shocks or fire. The commission also criticised Temu over inadequate controls on the design of its website. Recommender systems and promotions by influencers “could amplify dissemination risks of illegal products” it said. The €200m fine is the second and highest-ever imposed under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which has applied to the world’s biggest tech companies since February 2024. It follows a €120m penalty issued to Elon Musk’s X last December for “deceptive” verification badges and lack of transparency over advertising. …