Shein in Europe's fashion capital?
Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in France. Frédéric Merlin, head of the Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), which owns the BHV Paris department store where Shein is establishing its retail space, hailed the move as a "revolution". Merlin's decision to enter a partnership with Shein triggered a storm of protest because the latter has been repeatedly been accused of disregarding social and environmental standards.
Discount stores of global cynicism
Something must be done to counter the rise of ultra-cheap goods, La Libre Belgique argues:
“Our leaders at all levels must erect a clear legal barrier against this lawless system. Banning the import of products manufactured in violation of our social and environmental standards is not protectionism but common sense. Our regions cannot become the discount stores of global cynicism. It is pointless to wait for the next scandal before reacting. Platforms such as Shein embody unfair and environmentally harmful competition. The success of this model says less about China's strength than about our own weakness. Really: everything about the Shein model is wrong.”
Slipping through the cracks of EU regulations
Le Figaro denounces Europe's powerlessness in the face of the fast-fashion giant:
“Unlike products manufactured in France, which are subject to a thousand meticulous checks, Shein's goods strangely manage to slip through the cracks of our dense regulatory framework. It seems that in this paradise of standards there are not enough resources to monitor this dubious trade. It also seems that Europe, with its unrivalled regulatory nit-picking, won't be able to halt this infernal machinery for another few years. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has built a wall by imposing a 100 percent tax on parcels from Shein and its acolytes which has led to a 40-percent drop in their shipments. It's hard to believe.”
Not fair to give consumers all the responsibility
Responsibility is increasingly being shifted to consumers, Libération protests:
“A month of heated debates, strikes, petitions and capital flight - but nothing can stop Frédéric Merlin. ... So what now? Is appealing to consumers' sense of responsibility the only option left? Tell them to forget about T-shirts for one euro and focus on the long list of evils that Shein brings to France and the whole world. The pollution caused by a global champion of carbon emissions. Plastic micro-particles from its polyester clothing. Mountains of discarded clothing. Toxic products. Unacceptable working conditions. Jobs destroyed by unfair competition that respects neither social rights nor consumer protection. Will it ultimately be left to consumers to take on this giant whose turnover in 2024 reached 38 billion dollars? Something is seriously wrong here.”