Shein bans all sex dolls globally following French outcry over 'childlike' products
Online retailer Shein banned all sex dolls globally and removed its adult category after French officials threatened a market ban over products deemed "childlike."
November 3, 2025 - 10:37 PM ET • 2 min read
Online retail giant Shein announced Monday that it has permanently banned the sale of all sex dolls across its global platform, following intense pressure and threats of a market ban from French authorities.
The controversy erupted over the weekend after the French consumer watchdog raised concerns, accusing the company of displaying products with a "childlike appearance" and descriptions that suggested the "child pornography nature of the content."
French Economy Minister Roland Lescure had warned Monday that he would seek to ban Shein from operating in France if the platform repeated the offense or failed to remove the items quickly. Minister Lescure stated that "boundaries have been crossed" and emphasized that the government has the authority to request a ban on market access for issues involving child pornography, terrorism, or drug trafficking. He assured that a judicial investigation would be launched into the sale of the "horrible" and illegal items.
The French consumer watchdog initially raised concerns over the categorization and descriptions of the dolls. Reports indicated that one specific product in question was an 80-centimeter doll holding a teddy bear, which was allegedly accompanied by an explicitly sexual description on the Shein website.
In response to the escalating regulatory threat, Shein confirmed Monday that it had permanently banned "all seller accounts linked to illegal or non-compliant sex-doll products." The company stated that every related listing and image has been removed from its platform.
Shein also announced that it will tighten controls across its global platform. As an additional precaution, the retailer temporarily removed its entire adult products category while it conducts a thorough review, with plans to set stricter guidelines for future listings.
The threat of a ban from France, a major European market, appears to have driven the swift global action by the Chinese e-commerce giant. Minister Lescure had specified that he would request a ban if the platform was found to be recidivist or if the offending articles were not removed within 24 hours. The French High Commissioner for Children, Sarah El-Hairy, also announced that she would convene a meeting regarding the issue.