The European Commission has slapped a fine of €200 million against the Chinese e-commerce giant Temu after investigators found dangerous baby toys and faulty chargers widely available on its platform.
The Commission said on Thursday that under the Digital Services Act (DSA), the platform failed to properly identify and address the risks posed by illegal and unsafe products sold to European consumers.
The fine comes after a formal investigation launched in October 2024 into whether Temu was meeting its obligations as a designated Very Large Online Platform under EU law.
The Commission’s investigation involved a mystery shopping exercise, carried out by an independent testing organisation. It found that a high percentage of chargers purchased through Temu failed basic electrical safety tests and a high proportion of baby toys posed medium to high safety risks, containing chemicals above legal limits or featuring small detachable parts that present suffocation hazards.
The Commission also criticised Temu for failing to account for the role its own platform design plays in spreading unsafe products. Recommender algorithms and influencer-led promotional programmes, investigators noted, may actively amplify the reach of illegal listings, a dimension Temu had not properly examined.
