Did you think you were getting a deal by purchasing on Temu or Shein? Maybe you haven’t considered that behind those incredibly low prices there may be dangerous products, capable of causing burns, electric shocks, poisoning or suffocation. A recent investigation by Que Choisir, conducted together with European partners, it tested USB chargers, children’s toys and jewelery sold by these platforms.
The results are shocking: almost 7 out of 10 products do not comply with European standards, and more than half represent a real risk for those who use them.
According to the European Commission, around 12 million parcels arrive in the EU every day from China, many from Temu and Shein. Impressive numbers, but what many consumers still don’t know is that behind these orders there are often products sold without adequate controls, made with toxic materials and defective components.
To understand what the risks really are, French and international experts selected 27 products from three main categories: USB chargers, toys for children under 3 years of age and jewellery.
The choice of products was completely random, with the only criterion being that they were offered by third-party sellers on the platforms, not by the platforms themselves. Once received, each item was carefully examined in the laboratory through a series of specific tests:
Let’s see what the investigation found.
The results
The numbers speak for themselves: almost 70% of the products tested do not comply with European standards and more than half present concrete health risks. Let’s see the results for the 3 categories analyzed.
USB charger
Tests on the 54 USB chargers purchased (prices between €2 and €18.64) revealed widespread and serious problems. As many as 21 devices did not carry mandatory markings, such as the CE logo or voltage information, and 51 failed mechanical tests: pins bent easily, the casing broke at the slightest impact and, in four cases, the high and low voltage circuits were too close together, increasing the risk of arc flash. Additionally, 14 chargers overheated beyond their maximum temperatures, in one case reaching 102°C.
Only two devices, one per platform, were fully compliant with European standards. The remainder presented real risks of electric shock, burns and fires, demonstrating how the very low price often hides shoddy construction and low-quality materials.
Toys
Toys for children under 3 years old have proven to be even more dangerous. The prices, from €1.69 to €12.33, may seem irresistible, but the tests have highlighted very real risks. Some items were excessively loud, such as a rattle ball that exceeded 115 decibels, equal to the noise of a jackhammer.
Two of Temu’s products contained toxic chemicals well above the permitted limits: formaldehyde up to 164 mg/kg (30 mg/kg limit) and ethoxylated nonylphenol up to 440 mg/kg (100 mg/kg limit). In the battery-operated models, the compartments opened too easily, while many small parts easily detached, exposing children to the risk of suffocation. In the end, only one of the 54 toys tested was fully compliant with European standards.
Jewels
The jewels purchased, especially low-cost necklaces, showed slightly better quality, but the risks are still not negligible. Of the 54 necklaces tested, seven did not meet regulations, and some contained highly toxic metals such as cadmium and nickel. In one extreme case, a Shein jewel contained as much as 87% cadmium, almost 9,000 times over the permitted limit.
The fluctuating quality of the products highlights problems in factory controls: for the same item, one sample could be compliant while another was dangerous.
Is it really worth saving a few euros on Temu or Shein, when the real price could be our health and that of our children?
Sources: Que Choisir
