The European Organization of Consumers (Beuc) – which represents active associations in 32 countries – and with it another 25 associations, officially asked the European Commission and the national authorities to intervene to face Shein’s incorrect commercial strategies, the Chinese fashion platform with low cost fashion accused of pushing users to compulsive purchases through mechanisms considered deceptive.
On the basis of new investigations, including studies conducted by members of the same Beuc throughout Europe, the groups of consumers reveal how these illegal practices cause involuntary expenses and to be compulsive and economic losses for consumers, feeding, among other things, the circulation of unsafe clothing and fueling the environmental and social problems now known caused by Fast Fashion.
Last February, the European Commission had already announced its investigation into Shein’s conformity to EU consumers and she had urged Shein to respect EU law regarding consumer protection and stop using dark models such as false discounts and sales under pressure, as a false purchase deadlines.
Now, however, the organization relaunches the accusations and He also denounces the use of the so -called “Dark Patterns”that is, those choices of digital design that push unconsciously Consumers to perform actions that would not spontaneously do. Among the disputed tactics there are false countdown, alarmistic messages on the scarcity of the products and the “Confirm Shaming“, That is, notifications built to make the customer feel guilty if he decides to give up the purchase.
What are the dark pattern
With the expression dark patterncoined by User Experience Designer Harry Brignull refers to those interface user or interaction paths with a service specially designed to guide the end user towards behaviors from this not really desired.
In particular, these are choices adopted in the design of the interfaces that aim to push users to perform actions that otherwise would not have done or to make the fulfillment of other unfavorable actions for the service supplier or to hide information (for example those relating to personal data) in order to hide the consent for the processing. Second definition of the Guarantor for the protection of personal data (GPDP), are “deceptive design models” that aim to influence people’s behavior and can hinder their ability to effectively protect online privacy.
In February 2023, the European Committee for data protection (European Data Protection Board-EDPB) has published the guidelines explain How to recognize and avoid This type of systems. The document offers practical advice to managers of social media designers and users on how to behave in the face of these interfaces that are in violation of the GDPR Privacy.
Now, consumer associations denounce that these practices “they are having very harmful consequences for consumers and for society in general“, Which have as their direct consequence to promote consumer habits that thicken and aggravate social and environmental problems. In the document we read that these dark pattern “On the one hand, they promote Excessive expenses and cause Economic losses for consumers. On the other, they encourage the overclus of clothing, which often also contains harmful chemicals, deceiving and hindering consumers in their efforts towards one ecological transition“.
For his part, Shein replied by saying he had intention to collaborate with national authorities for the protection of consumers and with the European Commission in compliance with the legislation, above all because “Consumers would draw more advantage if the Beuc agreed to meet us, allowing us to explain how we operate and discuss their concerns openly and transparency. Unfortunately, they have rejected each of our request for meeting in recent years“.
We will see.
