Shein probed by Texas attorney general over labor practices, product safety

REUTERS/GO NAKAMURA / 2022

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks ahead of a rally held by former U.S. President Donald Trump, in Robstown, Texas.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on Monday he is investigating Shein, to determine whether the fast fashion retailer violated state law related to unethical labor practices and the sale of unsafe consumer products.

Paxton’s investigation increases pressure on Shein, which was embroiled in scandal last month after France’s consumer fraud agency found childlike sex dolls and illegal weapons available for sale on the China-founded retailer’s online platform.

Shein did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Paxton said his probe will focus on whether Shein violated state law by using toxic or hazardous materials, or misleading consumers about product safety and ethical sourcing.

The probe will also examine Shein’s data collection and privacy practices, Paxton added.

France has sought to suspend Shein in that country for three months, and the European Commission has requested information from the company to determine whether it posed a “systemic risk” to European consumers.

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Shein has said it banned sales of the sex dolls globally, and was cooperating with the EC request.

The company is headquartered in Singapore but sources most of its products from China, where it has several thousand suppliers.

Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate in 2026, and is expected to face incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary.

The attorney general has this year investigated or sued several well-known companies over their marketing practices, including Procter & Gamble, Bristol Myers Squibb and Tylenol maker Kenvue.

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