If a French measure imposing fines on fast-fashion items is enacted and a European Union proposal for a handling fee proceeds, French shoppers will have to pay more for their purchases from the low-cost online retailer SHEIN, the firm stated.
SHEIN’s first public response to the EU plan, which would impose a €2 (US $ 2.26) handling tax on e-commerce items entering the 27-nation bloc, came from Quentin Ruffat, a SHEIN spokeswoman in France, in an interview with Sud Radio.
Platforms like SHEIN and rival Temu, which have expanded quickly globally by sending low-cost goods straight to customers and taking advantage of customs exclusions for low-value goods, are typically seen as suffering further setbacks from the planned EU tariff.
Items processed by an EU warehouse would be subject to a 50-cent fee, while items sent directly to consumers would be subject to a €2 (US $ 2.26) fee . In an effort to lessen the environmental impact of fast-fashion items, Ruffat also cited a bill that was passed by the lower house of the French parliament in March.
The handling fees would require approval from the European Parliament and EU member states. However, a strong member of the bloc, France, has already supported such a proposal. In February, the European Commission announced that, beginning in 2028, duty-free treatment for e-commerce packages under €150 (US $ 170.68) would be discontinued. The United States eliminated its “de minimis” policy earlier this month, which permitted duty-free entry for packages under US $ 800.
