Temu accused of violating DSA Act again by European consumer organization

In recent days, Temu has frequently become the focus of attention in the EU market .

Not long ago, it was reported that Temu has an average of 75 million monthly active users in the EU , and may be classified as a very large online platform (VLOP). Now there is news that the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) has filed a complaint against Temu on the grounds that it has a series of violations of the EU Digital Services Act ( DSA ).

According to foreign media reports, European consumer protection organizations representing 31 EU countries and 45 regions have jointly voiced to the European Commission, calling on the EU to strengthen supervision of Temu. At the same time, 17 member state organizations including France, Germany and Spain have also filed charges against Temu , claiming that it has violated many requirements of the DSA Act .

According to the complaint, Temu uses misleading techniques (such as manipulative behaviors such as using dark patterns) on its product display pages. If consumers click on a product, the platform will display a series of more expensive versions, giving them the illusion of "value for money" and ultimately causing them to overspend.

Moreover, Temu ’s overall shopping process is not transparent, and consumers often cannot tell who the actual seller of the product is. It is clear that the platform cannot provide users with a safe, predictable and trustworthy online environment.

In addition, as early as 2023, the Italian Consumer Organization tested the cosmetics purchased on the platform and found that the vast majority did not list the complete ingredients truthfully. Earlier this year, the German Consumer Organization also warned the platform against its "manipulative design" and "false discounts."

BEUC Director General Monique Goijens pointed out that Temu's manipulation technology induces consumers to increase their spending on the platform, which is a serious violation of their basic rights. In addition, the purchase page does not provide enough information about the seller, and consumers have no way to understand whether the product meets EU safety standards.

Based on this , BEUC called on the EU to list Temu as a VLOP and immediately ban it if any infringement is found , and impose financial penalties on the platform. A spokesperson for the European Commission pointed out that Temu has more than 75 million monthly active users, which is far more than the 45 million threshold stipulated by the EU.

Temu said that since entering the EU market for more than a year, the company has been committed to complying with the laws and regulations of the market. The company attaches great importance to the complaint against BEUC and will conduct a thorough study and strive to improve the services provided to consumers.

However, as European consumer organizations continue to escalate their accusations against Temu, the future development of the platform may be full of uncertainty. At the same time, this incident has also sounded the alarm for major cross-border e-commerce platforms . If they want to be invincible in the fierce industry competition, they must actively abide by laws and regulations and focus on legal operations.

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