Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke (S) has publicly expressed concern about the Chinese trading platform Temu, which he believes sells products that do not comply with EU legislation and can be directly dangerous to consumers in some cases. This warning comes in light of several reports of safety flaws in products purchased on the platform. Temu, founded in 2022 by Chinese billionaire Colin Huang, has quickly become a popular online shopping destination in Denmark, where, according to the Confederation of Danish Industry, it is the third most visited webshop in the first quarter of 2024. The platform operates on a direct-to-consumer model, where goods are sold directly from manufacturers to customers, often resulting in lower prices.
The Minister specifically pointed out that products for children sold on Temu can be dangerous. A test conducted by the Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) showed that 18 out of 19 pieces of toys from Temu were harmful to children. The Consumer Council, Tænk, has also advised parents against buying children’s products from the platform. Despite the criticism, Temu defends itself by claiming to have extensive control over their suppliers to ensure product quality and safety. However, the platform has not commented on the specific allegations of safety flaws in their products.
Heunicke emphasizes that the government is working to tighten EU rules to improve the safety of online trading platforms like Temu. He urges Danes to be cautious and consider alternatives until there is assurance that the products meet EU standards. This issue has also drawn attention in Norway, where Environment Minister Anders Bjelland Eriksen stated that he avoids buying clothes from Temu, believing that the platform contributes to overproduction and hence environmental pollution. However, Temu has tried to counter this criticism by highlighting their model as environmentally friendly.
It is unclear how this issue will develop, but it is evident that both consumers and authorities in the EU are becoming more aware of the potential risks of shopping on platforms like Temu.