1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
PoliticsEurope

EU: Temu violated laws with 'illegal products'

Louis Oelofse with AFP, dpa
July 28, 2025

The European Commission found the Chinese shopping app failed to protect customers from dangerous products, it risks a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover.

Temu logo on an iPhone
Temu will now be able to respond to the EU regulators' findingsImage: Taidgh Barron/ZUMAPRESS/picture alliance

The European Commission found that the Chinese online shopping platform Temu is not doing enough to stop the sale of illegal products.

The Commission's preliminary findings indicate the Chinese online retail giant was violating rules set by the Digital Services Act (DSA).

"Evidence showed that there is a high risk for consumers in the EU to encounter illegal products on the platform," a press release on Monday stated.

Temu is classified as a "very large online platform" under the DSA. It requires the world's largest tech firms to do more to protect European consumers online. Temu has nearly 94 million average monthly active users in the European Union. 

Temu under investigation 

It comes after the European Commission launched a formal investigation into Temu's business model in October.

Prominent on the EU executive arm's long list of complaints is the claim that Temu is exporting products to the EU that do not comply with the bloc's standards.

"We shop online because we trust that products sold in our Single Market are safe and comply with our rules. In our preliminary view, Temu is far from assessing risks for its users at the standards required by the Digital Services Act," European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen.

The Commission also accused the online retailer of offering fake discounts to customers, publishing fake reviews, insufficient vendor information, and having an addictive app design.

Temu can respond to the allegations, but if concerns remain, the EU may declare a DSA violation and impose a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover, though no final decision has been made yet.

A Temu spokesperson said the company would continue to "cooperate fully" with the Commission.

"Consumers' safety online is not negotiable in the EU — our laws, including the Digital Services Act, are the foundation for a better protection online," Virkkunen said.

Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah

Skip next section Explore more
Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW