The South Korean government has once again targeted Temu and AliExpress.
Temu is reportedly under investigation by the DHS for forced labor.
As part of standard practice, the Seoul Metropolitan Government assessed 26 articles of children’s winter clothing from the two low-cost e-commerce sites as well as rival Shein. Authorities discovered that seven of the 26 items contained higher levels of pollutants such as lead, cadmium, and phthalate plasticizers.
The authorities tested one Temu jacket, which contained 622 times the permissible limit of phthalate plasticizers, 3.6 times the legal level of lead, and 3.4 times the legal limit of cadmium. Authorities also noted that a decorative add-on to the garment exceeded the allowable length, raising safety concerns for young children.
The agency also reported Temu’s jumpsuit, which contained 294 times the permissible level for phthalate plasticizers.
Meanwhile, AliExpress came under fire for selling shoes that contained five times the amount of lead allowed in Korean products.
The chemical identified in the Temu jacket at an astronomic level is known as DEHP, and scientists at the National Institute of Health in the United States say it is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
According to the California government, DEHP “can cause cancer, birth defects, and other reproductive harm.” Seoul officials have issued similar remarks against the chemical and other plastic-based phthalates.
Lead and cadmium, too, are toxic to humans. The World Health Organization states that it is “particularly harmful to young children” and poses a threat to humans’ livers, brains, kidneys, and bones. The National Cancer Institute’s website states that cadmium is known to cause cancer.
Shein asks the judge to keep the lawsuit alive after Temu files a motion to dismiss.
A Temu spokesman stated that the company prioritizes product safety and employs quality control measures such as documentation verification, spot checks, and “continuously monitoring the platform for potential issues.”
“Two of the seven products highlighted in the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s recent report were sold through Temu. Prior to the report being submitted, these products had already been removed from our platform through proactive monitoring. “We require all merchants on our platform to meet strict safety standards and follow stringent compliance measures,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the corporation reached an agreement with the Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) about safety measures. The representative stated that the business intends to “continue working closely with authorities to ensure our users can shop with confidence.”
However, this is not Temu’s first offense against the South Korean government. Earlier this year, the agency discovered that sandals offered on the site contained insoles containing more than 11 times the allowed level of lead. It was also the focus of an August investigation that discovered carcinogens in products from the “Shop Like a Billionaire” site, as well as competitors Shein and Alibaba.
The corporation also faces a spate of regulatory violations in a number of countries, including the United States, the European Union, Indonesia, Vietnam, and others. The claims range from dangerous products to forced labor abuses to privacy concerns for consumers.
The Alibaba Group, the parent firm of AliExpress, did not respond to Sourcing Journal’s request for comment. An AliExpress spokeswoman told Business Insider that the company “cooperated with the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s request to remove the affected items from sale immediately.”