Time for “general mobilization”: after the inflatable dolls affair on Shein, Bercy is launching a new monitoring and action unit aimed at reducing cases of dangerous or non-compliant products present on e-commerce platforms. According to Fraud Repression investigations carried out last year on around thirty sites, 75% of the products tested were found to be non-compliant, 46% were considered dangerous. For electrical products, the results are worse.
« This is the first time that we have actors who bend the rules to this extent »: Bercy announced, this Wednesday, April 29, the creation of “VigE-Commerce”, a monitoring unit for e-commerce sites such as Shein, Temu, AliExpress, Wish or Joom, accused of not respecting European standards in terms of security and competition.
After the affair of pornographic dolls and weapons sold on the Chinese platform Shein, after the government’s legal failure, this new cell, gathered for the first time this Wednesday morning and supervised by the “ three ministers concerned by this question, therefore Roland Lescure (Economy), Serge Papin (Commerce) and Anne Le Henanff (AI and Digital)”will make it possible to better fight against the abuses of e-commerce platforms »Bercy specified during a briefing intended for journalists, given today.
The interministerial unit aims to “ create a surveillance network » on each platform, at “ have a ready organization that can be mobilized in the event of crisis management ”, and “ map the powers of (each administration) to try to further improve the state’s response ». It will be made up of members from around twenty administrations such as the DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control), the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM), the Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (ARCOM), the General Directorate for Civil Aviation and Customs.
“46% of the products analyzed were dangerous, presenting risks to consumer safety”
The idea is to increase the number of compliance orders sent to marketplaces. Because despite alerts and reports, compliance with European standards is not improving on e-commerce sites – platforms increasingly popular with the French. “ In 2025, 80% of French people have consulted at least one of the sites or applications of the 20 largest e-commerce platforms every month », Specified the spokesperson for the DGCCRF during the brief.
As proof, the Fraud Repression is today publishing the results of its investigations carried out in 2025, the year during which “ 30 platforms, including 16 foreign ». « Of nearly 600 products already analyzed by the Joint Laboratory Service (SCL), 75% were found to be non-compliant, mainly due to labeling defects. such as the absence of instructions in French, or the absence of CE marking.
“46% of the products analyzed were dangerous, presenting risks to consumer safety », notes the DGCCRF in its press release published today. “ This dangerousness led to the withdrawal of 100,000 products that had already arrived at consumers’ homes. », specifies Bercy.
For the tech products tested, 60% to 81% of dangerous devices
For the tech sector, electronic products that can “ present risks of accident”, “such as risks of electric shock”, “which may possibly cause fire risks ”, were scrutinized. And the results are not encouraging.
- Of the 15 power adapters/chargers tested100% of the products were non-compliant, with 60% being considered dangerous.
- For the small kitchen appliances, and other electrical products16 devices were analyzed: all were non-compliant, and 13 of them (81%) were considered dangerous.
- Similar results were found for lights and garlandsas well as the hairdressing devices. Of the fifty hair dryers and straighteners, all were declared non-compliant. 37 of them were dangerous. “ We have an example of an electric hair dryer which was not sufficiently insulated and whose soldering could easily deteriorate. », Specified the spokesperson for the DGCCRF.
Also read: USB chargers: Temu and Shein singled out by UFC Que Choisir for the dangerousness of their products
“Chemical, mechanical or electrical tests”
In practice, the investigators slipped into the shoes of an average consumer, checking what information was accessible during the purchasing process in order to identify “ false promotions, misleading claims, purchase incentive mechanisms, compliance of labeling and markings “. After the purchasing phase, the products underwent “ chemical, mechanical or electrical tests depending on the nature of the products ».
Efforts focused on “ seven foreign e-commerce platforms”, which have not been named. Other products not falling within the field of tech (children’s toys, textiles, costume jewelry) were also tested. And what this investigation shows, insists Bercy, is that “ the lack of control is indeed systemic ».
« It is the model of these platforms that puts consumers in danger », added the Bercy cabinets, before continuing: “ When we are at 70% non-compliance, we are not in the exception. It is an element of the economic model (…) because in fact, enforcing standards costs money for companies. This involves setting up quality processes, verification processes, monitoring of what is posted online, and also control of commercial practices within companies”… so many elements visibly absent, today, from the e-commerce platforms tested.
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