France Fines Shein €40 Million for Misleading Discounts

French authorities have fined fast-fashion retailer Shein €40 million for deceptive marketing practices, following an investigation by the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF). The probe, which examined thousands of products between October 2022 and August 2023, found that Shein frequently inflated original prices before advertising discounts, with 57% of sampled promotions offering no real reduction and 11% actually representing price increases. Shein was also cited for vague and unverifiable environmental claims. The company was notified of these breaches in March 2023 and stated it implemented corrective actions within two months. French law requires that advertised discounts reference the lowest price in the previous 30 days, a regulation Shein was found to have violated. The case highlights increasing scrutiny of fast-fashion companies for both consumer protection and environmental practices.