Chinese online retailer Shein has removed childlike sex dolls from its website after being flagged by France’s consumer watchdog, the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Control (DGCCRF).

According to DGCCRF, the dolls—alongside other pornographic items—were found listed on Shein’s platform and reported to judicial authorities. The agency said the product descriptions and categorization “left little doubt as to their child pornography nature.” It also criticized Shein for lacking effective age filters to prevent minors from accessing such explicit content.

In response, Shein told Reuters that the products were “immediately removed” once the issue was brought to its attention, emphasizing that the company maintains a “zero-tolerance policy toward any content or products that violate internal policies or applicable laws.”

The controversy emerges just days before Shein is set to open its first physical store in France at Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville (BHV) in Paris. The Chinese fast-fashion giant also plans to open five additional pop-up stores in Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, and Reims.

However, Shein’s expansion in France has already drawn criticism from local fashion retailers, who accuse the brand of undermining traditional businesses with its ultra-low pricing model and mass production strategy.

The incident underscores growing concerns in Europe over content moderation and product vetting on global e-commerce platforms, particularly those operating in sensitive markets like fashion and adult products.