EU commissioner shocked by dangers of some goods sold by Shein and Temu

Overlap with Amazon and Other Platforms

• Many commenters note that the same low-quality or unsafe Chinese goods are widely sold via Amazon, AliExpress, Allegro, local “dollar stores,” and even rebranded in brick‑and‑mortar shops.
• Some argue Amazon has only marginally more accountability; counterfeits and non‑compliant electronics are said to be common there too.

Perceived EU Agenda and Geopolitics

• Several see a campaign of “manufacturing consent” to restrict direct consumer imports from China, favoring EU intermediaries.
• Others tie this to broader US–EU alignment against China and Russia, with talk of trade war, rearmament, and preserving Western industrial capacity.
• A counter‑view: the EU’s primary mission is free trade and internal market harmonization; it has historically been lenient toward global trade, not protectionist.

Price Gaps, Middlemen, and Markups

• Dramatic examples: scooters, bikes, zippers, art supplies costing 5–20× more in EU shops than on Taobao/Temu, sometimes seemingly identical items.
• Defenders of local pricing cite VAT, customs, warehousing, warranties, staff, and regulatory compliance. Critics call much of it rent‑seeking and “institutionalized scam.”

Safety, Quality, and Accountability

• Strong concern around cheap electronics: relays, chargers, lithium batteries, toys, plastics with heavy metals.
• Experienced buyers report wild quality variance in unbranded Chinese goods; “lottery” dynamics vs. relatively predictable quality from established brands.
• Debate over China’s own enforcement: some cite harsh domestic punishments for scandals; others insist Chinese goods remain “poisoned garbage” and distrust even for Chinese consumers.

Regulation, Enforcement, and Over‑Regulation

• Many support enforcing EU safety, environmental, and warranty standards on all sellers, including Temu/Shein/Amazon.
• Others complain of EU “overregulation” (e.g., drawstring rules) and say compliance becomes a paper exercise that raises costs without real safety gains.
• Enforcement is seen as hard: sellers reappear under new names; proposals include making platforms fully liable, banning certain shippers, or removing de minimis tax thresholds.

Consumer Trade‑offs and Proposed Fixes

• Consumers weigh 10–250× price differences against safety and ethics; some openly choose Temu and accept the risk, others prefer curated or premium retailers.
• Suggested policies include much longer mandatory warranties (scaled by price) to favor durable goods, though critics fear it would stifle innovation.