EU to tighten checks on cheap products from sites like Temu, Shein

The European Union will increase customs checks on goods shipped directly by ecommerce retailers like Temu and Shein to EU consumers as it seeks to ensure fair competition and product safety, according to a draft of an official communication seen by Reuters on Monday.

The directive from the European Commission, expected to be published on Wednesday, will affect all non-EU ecommerce retailers although it specifically addresses the rapid growth of Temu, an online marketplace owned by Chinese ecommerce giant PDD Holdings, and Shein, a fast-fashion retailer founded in China but now headquartered in Singapore.