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.
Hypocritical consumer culture
Shein is only successful because many people are irresponsible in their consumer behaviour, writes Jornal de Notícias:
“The success of fast fashion highlights the hypocrisy of our consumer culture. ... Passing laws against fast fashion is of little use if, in practice, a business model that damages the environment and exploits workers remains viable. Every time we find the price of an item of clothing tempting, we should think twice. What seems easy on your wallet comes at a high price for the planet and the lives of many people. And that should weigh heavily on our conscience.”
A marketing pioneer
In some respects, Shein could serve as a role model, business newspaper Les Echos puts in:
“Fashion giant Shein is above all an expert in digital marketing that knows how to analyse demand trends in a highly sophisticated and responsive manner. It has drawn industrial conclusions from this by basing its production on an army of third-party suppliers who have to respond with extreme flexibility. In fashion, but also in much heavier industries such as the automotive sector, companies have no choice. They will have to move towards a more detailed understanding of consumer expectations. They must shorten development and production cycles. And they must equip themselves with the means to further personalise their products and services.”
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.”