Latest news with #evoluSHEIN
E&E News
05-08-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Chinese ‘fast fashion' company slapped with $1.15M greenwashing fine in Italy
Italy's antitrust agency has fined the Chinese online fast-fashion platform Shein €1 million ($1.15 million) for misleading green claims, it announced Monday. 'The well-known brand, operating in the 'fast' and 'superfast fashion' sectors, adopted a misleading communication strategy regarding the characteristics and environmental impact of its clothing products,' wrote Italian competition authority AGCM in a press release. AGCM said that Infinite Styles Services Co. Ltd., a company that operates Shein's website in Europe, has shared environmental claims that were 'in some instances, vague, generic, and/or overly emphatic, and in others, misleading or omissive.' Advertisement Shein promotes its 'evoluSHEIN by design' collection and the use of 'green fibers' as more sustainable.
The Guardian
05-08-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Shein fined €1m in Italy for misleading environmental claims about products
The Italian authorities have fined Shein €1m (£870,000) for making 'misleading or omissive' environmental claims about its products, the second time in as many months the Chinese fashion retailer has been targeted by European regulators. Environmental sustainability and social responsibility messages on Shein's website were in some cases 'vague, generic, and/or overly emphatic' and in others were 'misleading or omissive', said Italy's competition authority, AGCM. It is the latest criticism to hit the fast fashion behemoth, where shoppers can pick up polyester party dresses for as little as £1.60, leading to claims it is helping to cause a plastic pollution crisis through the oversupply of cheap synthetic clothes. Shein details its 'evoluSHEIN' roadmap on its website as including three strategic pillars: 'Equitable Empowerment (People), Collective Resilience (Planet) and Waste-Less Innovation (Process).' But AGCM was critical of its approach. 'The well-known brand, operating in the 'fast' and 'superfast fashion' sectors, adopted a misleading communication strategy regarding the characteristics and environmental impact of its clothing products.' 'Through its website … and other promotional and/or informational online pages, the company disseminated environmental claims within the sections #SHEINTHEKNOW, evoluSHEIN, and Social Responsibility that were, in some instances, vague, generic, and/or overly emphatic, and in others, misleading or omissive.' Shein's claims about product circularity and recycling 'were found to be either false or at least confusing', AGCM said, while its claims that products from its 'evoluSHEIN by Design' collection were more sustainable were 'overstated'. 'Moreover, these claims may lead consumers to believe not only that the evoluSHEIN by Design collection is made solely from 'sustainable' materials, but also that its products are fully recyclable – a statement which, given the fibres used and current recycling systems, does not reflect reality,' the regulator added. The fine was imposed on Infinite Styles Services Co Ltd, a Dublin-based company that operates Shein's website in Europe. In a statement responding to the ruling, Shein said: 'We have cooperated fully with the AGCM throughout this process, and took immediate action to address the concerns raised as soon as we became aware of them. 'We have strengthened our internal review processes and improved our website to ensure that all environmental claims are clear, specific, and compliant with regulation.' The Italian fine was announced just over a month after France's directorate for competition, consumer affairs and fraud prevention handed Shein a €40m penalty for 'deceptive commercial practices'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion The French regulator found that Shein had misled consumers about discounts offered to them and was unable to substantiate environmental claims made on its website. Last month the EU justice commissioner, Michael McGrath, expressed shock at the toxicity and dangers of some goods being sold by Shein and its competitor Temu. Reuters contributed to this report
The Guardian
05-08-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Shein fined €1m in Italy for misleading environmental claims about products
The Italian authorities have fined Shein €1m (£870,000) for making 'misleading or omissive' environmental claims about its products, the second time in as many months the Chinese fashion retailer has been targeted by European regulators. Environmental sustainability and social responsibility messages on Shein's website were in some cases 'vague, generic, and/or overly emphatic' and in others were 'misleading or omissive', said Italy's competition authority, AGCM. It is the latest criticism to hit the fast fashion behemoth, where shoppers can pick up polyester party dresses for as little as £1.60, leading to claims it is helping to cause a plastic pollution crisis through the oversupply of cheap synthetic clothes. Shein details its 'evoluSHEIN' roadmap on its website as including three strategic pillars: 'Equitable Empowerment (People), Collective Resilience (Planet) and Waste-Less Innovation (Process).' But AGCM was critical of its approach. 'The well-known brand, operating in the 'fast' and 'superfast fashion' sectors, adopted a misleading communication strategy regarding the characteristics and environmental impact of its clothing products.' 'Through its website … and other promotional and/or informational online pages, the company disseminated environmental claims within the sections #SHEINTHEKNOW, evoluSHEIN, and Social Responsibility that were, in some instances, vague, generic, and/or overly emphatic, and in others, misleading or omissive.' Shein's claims about product circularity and recycling 'were found to be either false or at least confusing', AGCM said, while its claims that products from its 'evoluSHEIN by Design' collection were more sustainable were 'overstated'. 'Moreover, these claims may lead consumers to believe not only that the evoluSHEIN by Design collection is made solely from 'sustainable' materials, but also that its products are fully recyclable – a statement which, given the fibres used and current recycling systems, does not reflect reality,' the regulator added. The fine was imposed on Infinite Styles Services Co Ltd, a Dublin-based company that operates Shein's website in Europe. In a statement responding to the ruling, Shein said: 'We have cooperated fully with the AGCM throughout this process, and took immediate action to address the concerns raised as soon as we became aware of them. 'We have strengthened our internal review processes and improved our website to ensure that all environmental claims are clear, specific, and compliant with regulation.' The Italian fine was announced just over a month after France's directorate for competition, consumer affairs and fraud prevention handed Shein a €40m penalty for 'deceptive commercial practices'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion The French regulator found that Shein had misled consumers about discounts offered to them and was unable to substantiate environmental claims made on its website. Last month the EU justice commissioner, Michael McGrath, expressed shock at the toxicity and dangers of some goods being sold by Shein and its competitor Temu. Reuters contributed to this report
Qatar Tribune
04-08-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Italian regulator slaps Shein with nearly $1.2 million
Agencies Italy's competition authority (AGCM) slapped a 1-million-euro ($1.16-million) fine on Chinese online fast fashion retailer Shein on Monday, arguing it misled customers about the environmental impact of its products. It is Shein's second financial sanction by a European competition authority in less than a month, following a 40 million euro fine by France on July 3 for offering fake discounts and making misleading environmental claims. The Italian fine was imposed on Infinite Styles Services Co. Limited, a Dublin-based company that operates Shein's website in Europe, following an investigation by AGCM launched last September. In a statement, Shein said it has cooperated fully with AGCM and took immediate action to address the concerns raised. AGCM said the environmental sustainability and social responsibility messages on Shein's website 'were sometimes vague, generic and/or overly emphatic and in other cases omitted and misleading.' Shein's claims on circular system design and product recyclability 'were found to be false or at the very least confusing,' and the green credentials of its 'evoluSHEIN by design' collection were overstated, the regulator said. Shein promotes the 'evoluSHEIN by design' collection as clothes made using more sustainable and responsible manufacturing. AGCM stated that consumers could be misled into thinking that the collection was made from fully recyclable materials, 'a fact that, considering the fibres used and currently existing recycling systems, is untrue.'
Fashion Network
04-08-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Italian regulator hits Shein with 1 million euro greenwashing fine
Italy's competition authority (AGCM) imposed a 1 million euro (1.16 million dollar) fine on China-founded fast fashion online retailer Shein on Monday for misleading customers on the environmental impact of its products. This is Shein's second financial sanction by a European competition authority in little more than a month, after France fined the company 40 million euros on July 3 over fake discounts and misleading environmental claims. The Italian fine was imposed on Infinite Styles Services Co. Limited, a Dublin-based company that operates Shein's website in Europe, following a "greenwashing" investigation by AGCM launched last September. Shein did not immediately respond to a request for comment. AGCM said the environmental sustainability and social responsibility messages on Shein's website "were sometimes vague, generic, and/or overly emphatic, and in other cases omitted and misleading." Shein's claims on circular system design and product recyclability "were found to be false or at the very least confusing", and the green credentials of its 'evoluSHEIN by design' collection were overstated, the regulator said. Shein promotes the 'evoluSHEIN by design' collection as clothes made using more sustainable and responsible manufacturing. AGCM said consumers could be misled to think that the collection was made with eco-friendly materials and fully recyclable, "a fact that, considering the fibres used and currently existing recycling systems, is untrue". The authority also took issue with Shein's "vague and generic" commitments to cut greenhouse emissions by 25% by 2030 and to net zero by 2050, noting they contradicted its increase in emissions in 2023 and 2024. The Italian regulator said its overall assessment was influenced by an "increased duty of care" falling on Shein, "because it operates in a highly polluting sector and with highly polluting methods" such as fast and super-fast fashion. AGCM is in charge of consumer protection as well as competition. When AGCM's investigation was launched last year, Shein said it was "ready to cooperate openly with relevant Italian authorities, providing the necessary support and information to address any inquiries". Founded in China, Shein is known for its cheap tops and dresses. Its treatment of workers and environmental record came under increased scrutiny last year after reports that it was planning to list its shares in London.
