French authorities have launched criminal investigations into several major online retail platforms, Shein, Temu, AliExpress, and Wish, over alleged violations of laws protecting minors from exposure to pornographic or degrading content.

The probe follows a complaint filed by the French government’s Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), which reported finding “child-like sex dolls” for sale on Shein’s marketplace.

The sex toy industry in China is the largest in the world, with 70% of the world’s sex toys being manufactured there.

The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed Tuesday that the case had been referred to the National Office for Minors, citing potential offences related to disseminating pornographic or violent material accessible to minors.

The controversy erupted just days before Shein’s planned opening of its first permanent brick-and-mortar store inside Paris’s historic BHV Marais department store.

Finance Minister Roland Lescure called the products “illegal” and warned that Shein could face a nationwide ban if violations continue.

“For terrorist acts, drug trafficking, and child pornography, the government has the right to request banning access to the French market,” he said.

In a statement to French media, Quentin Ruffat, Shein’s head of public affairs in France, said the company had removed all listings related to sex dolls and would cooperate “fully” with the investigation.

“We are in the process of sacking all the offending vendors from the platform,” Ruffat told RMC radio. “If the authorities ask, we will share the names of vendors and buyers involved. What happened is serious, unacceptable, and intolerable.”

Shein announced Monday that it had imposed a total ban on all sex-doll-type products, deleting images and suspending its “adult products” category entirely.

Prosecutors confirmed that Temu, AliExpress, and Wish are also under investigation for allowing minors to access pornographic or violent content through their marketplaces, a violation that carries penalties of up to three years in prison and fines of €75,000 for individuals.

Shein and AliExpress face an additional charge for allegedly disseminating “images or representations of minors of a pornographic nature,” which can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison.

AliExpress said it had removed similar listings and would penalize offending sellers. A Temu spokesperson said the company does not allow sex dolls on its platform and that its investigation relates only to “certain products accessible to minors.”

The DGCCRF stated that it had alerted ARCOM, France’s media and online communications regulator, to coordinate enforcement measures under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires large platforms to remove illegal content promptly.

Lescure, who has been outspoken about protecting minors online, said the investigation highlights the government’s willingness to hold digital platforms accountable.

“Shein must understand that France will not tolerate the sale of illegal or harmful products,” the minister said. “If these practices persist, the company could be banned from the French market altogether.”