French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Wednesday authorities would move to "suspend" the Shein digital platform in France until the Asian e-commerce giant complied with French legislation.
"On the instructions of the prime minister, the government is initiating the procedure to suspend Shein for the time necessary for the platform to demonstrate to the public authorities that all of its content is finally in compliance with our laws and regulations," Lecornu's office said.
"An initial review will be conducted by ministers within the next 48 hours," it added.
The move came after Paris authorities deployed riot police for the unveiling of Shein's first brick-and-mortar store in the French capital, as controversy swirled over the Asian retailer's fast-fashion practices and sale of childlike sex dolls online.
Protesters distributed red flyers, denouncing "suspected forced labour", "pollution" and "overproduction", and urging passersby to sign a petition against Shein's presence inside the Paris department store.
Shein, which was founded in China, has faced criticism over working conditions and the environmental impact of its ultra-fast fashion business model. Politicians, unions and top fashion brands have opposed its arrival in France.
Just days before the planned opening, a new controversy erupted over the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein's platform.
The discovery triggered a new political outcry and the opening of a judicial investigation.
Read moreShein says prepared to give French police names of clients who bought childlike sex dolls
The Paris prosecutor's office said, ahead of the store's launch, that it had opened investigations against Shein, and also rival online retailers AliExpress, Temu and Wish, over the sale of the sex dolls.
The probes were for distributing "messages that are violent, pornographic or improper, and accessible to minors", the office has said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)
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