South Korean authorities find harmful substances in Shein, Temu products

Thirty-seven out of 49 items from two categories sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms AliExpress, Shein and Temu contained dangerous chemicals and failed to meet safety standards, the Korea Consumer Agency announced on Thursday.

Details of the findings: The agency’s investigation, which focused on 30 pet products and 19 essential oil items, found that 20 pet products contained harmful substances. Among them is formaldehyde, a known carcinogen detected in seven items. “Exposure to formaldehyde can lead to symptoms such as dermatitis, acute respiratory distress, vomiting, convulsions and diarrhea,” the agency reported. Additionally, toxic chemicals like CMIT (chloromethylisothiazolinone) and MIT (methylisothiazolinone) were found in essential oils marketed as air fresheners and humidifier additives. Following these findings, the three Chinese platforms were informed and the sale of the affected products was halted to protect consumers and their pets.
The big picture: This is not the first time harmful substances were detected in products sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms. On Aug. 14, South Korean authorities reported that numerous products from the same trio of companies, including women’s shoes, contained toxic substances at alarmingly high levels. Shein’s shoes, for one, had phthalates measured at 229 times the legal limit, which can adversely affect reproductive functions. Addressing the matter, Shein claimed to work closely with international testing agencies to ensure compliance with safety standards. Meanwhile, sandals from Temu were found to contain lead more than 11 times the acceptable limit. In response, Temu announced the initiation of an internal investigation and removal of the offending product listings.

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