Shein is facing a complaint from the pan-European consumer organisation BEUC, which filed the grievance with the European Commission on Thursday.
The complaint accuses Shein of using “dark patterns” on its app and website to encourage more purchases. These include pop-ups warning customers not to leave the app or risk losing deals, countdown timers creating pressure to buy quickly, and infinite scrolling.
BEUC also reported that Shein sends frequent notifications, citing one example where a phone received 12 alerts in a single day. The group said such techniques could be considered aggressive commercial practices under EU law.
BEUC published a report alongside the complaint.
Shein’s gamified app features are also part of the complaint. In one example, users play a game called “Puppy Keep” to win points and free products. Players can earn more by scrolling or ordering but must log in daily to keep their rewards.
BEUC said the game encourages repeated app use, contributing to mass consumption.
The complaint is supported by 25 BEUC member organisations across 21 countries, including France, Germany and Spain. BEUC called on regulators to expand their investigation to other fast-fashion retailers that use similar practices.
Shein said in a statement that it is cooperating with national consumer authorities and the European Commission to show its commitment to following EU laws. The company added that BEUC had not accepted a request for a meeting.
The European Commission had already notified Shein last month of practices that may breach EU consumer law and warned of fines if the company fails to address the concerns. Shein is also being examined by EU tech regulators regarding its compliance with EU online content rules.
