Temu pledges overhaul amid European criticisms on safety standards
Chinese platform Temu has assured that it is working on improving services and intends to correct deficiencies. The statement comes in response to complaints from European consumer organizations. Temu has been accused, among other things, of dealing in counterfeits and products without certifications.
Consumer organizations also accuse Temu of using unfair business practices to mislead consumers, such as posting falsely positive reviews about products.
A test conducted in October last year by the Italian consumer organization Altroconsumo revealed that 9 out of 13 cosmetics purchased on Temu either did not contain information about their ingredients at all or contained only partial information.
Will the European Commission start an investigation?
Groups led by the European consumer organization BEUC (which includes national organizations) called on the European Commission to initiate an official investigation into the platform's possible violation of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This law stipulates that products sold in the EU, both online and in traditional stores, must be safe and comply with European law.
Temu often leaves consumers uncertain about whom they are buying products from. This lack of traceability prevents them from making an informed decision or checking whether the product has EU safety certifications - wrote Monique Goyens, director of the European consumer organization BEUC, in a statement provided to PAP, which includes national organizations.
On Friday at 8 AM ET, the Temu platform published an official comment, assuring that it takes BEUC's complaint very seriously and announcing that it is eager to improve consumer services and correct deficiencies. It added that it is a "newcomer in Europe," having started operations in these markets over a year ago.
"We are committed to transparency and full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations (...). We are ready for efficient and diligent cooperation with interested parties to ensure consumer safety and sustainable development of the platform," the company assured in a statement.
Temu responds to complaints
The company also added that it has already taken the first steps in this direction, including last week reaching an agreement with the German consumer organization VZBV to cease "certain activities that have raised concerns" and committed to addressing them. - Many of them are covered by the BEUC complaint - it was noted in the statement.
The company added that on Monday at 9 PM ET, it also signed a product safety commitment with South Korea's Fair Trade Commission, committing to implement a comprehensive system for detecting, preventing, and removing dangerous products from circulation.
