SEOUL: Women's accessories sold by some of the world's most popular online shopping platforms were found to contain toxic substances, sometimes in quantities hundreds of times above acceptable limits, Seoul authorities announced on Wednesday (Aug 14).
Chinese companies like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress have gained global popularity in recent years, offering a wide range of trendy clothes and accessories at remarkably low prices.
This rapid growth has led to increased scrutiny of their business practices and safety standards, particularly in the European Union and South Korea, where Seoul officials have been conducting weekly inspections of items sold on these online platforms.
In a recent inspection, 144 products from Shein, AliExpress, and Temu were tested, with multiple items from all three companies failing to meet legal standards.
Shoes from Shein were found to contain alarmingly high levels of phthalates—chemicals used to make plastics more flexible—with one pair exceeding the legal limit by 229 times.
"Phthalate-based plasticizers can affect reproductive functions, such as reducing sperm count, and may cause infertility and even premature birth," 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 should be taken to avoid prolonged contact with the human body," they added.
Formaldehyde, a chemical commonly used in home building products, was found in Shein's caps at levels double the allowable threshold.
Two bottles of nail polish from Shein were also detected with dioxane—a possible human carcinogen that can cause liver poisoning—at levels exceeding the permitted limit by more than 3.6 times. Additionally, methanol concentrations in the polish were found to be 1.4 times above the acceptable level.
Shein responded to AFP, stating that they "work closely with international third-party testing agencies... to regularly conduct risk-based sampling tests to ensure that products supplied by our vendors meet Shein's product safety standards."
"Our suppliers are required to adhere to the controls and standards we have established, as well as the product safety laws and regulations in the countries where we operate," the company added.
Seoul authorities also discovered that sandals from Temu contained lead in their insoles at levels exceeding the permissible limit by more than 11 times.
Temu did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.
According to a government statement, Seoul officials have requested that the products be removed from sale.
"Products that exceed the legal limits, such as leather sandals and hats, which come into direct contact with the body, should be treated with particular caution," said Kim Tae-hee, an official in the capital.
"The Seoul Metropolitan Government will continue to conduct periodic safety tests and disclose the results."
In April, the European Union added Shein to its list of digital firms subject to stricter safety regulations, including measures to protect consumers from unsafe products, particularly those that may be harmful to minors.
Shein and Temu have followed in the footsteps of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba in challenging Amazon, particularly by making significant inroads into the US market.
