Articles by AFP
Audience for Temu and AliExpress drops in France during Q2, Shein remains stable
Paris - The number of visitors to the Temu and AliExpress websites significantly declined in France during the second quarter. This drop occurred even before the implementation of the three euro European tax targeting small parcels, Fevad and Médiamétrie revealed on Wednesday. “While the overall audience for the sector remains at a very high...
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France fines Boohoo 225,000 euros over missing environmental product information
France's consumer and fraud watchdog announced on Tuesday it has fined the British online clothing chain Boohoo approximately 225,000 euros for failings related to the environmental information of its products. Following an investigation in 2025, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) issued an...
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Céline Dion's return to stage fuels merchandise boom
“It’s not an impulse buy, I’m owning it!” exclaimed Anthony Cayer, a Céline Dion fan who spoke to AFP in Paris. He had spent almost 400 euros in a pop-up shop dedicated to the Quebecois star. T-shirts, vinyl records and boxes of macarons are all part of the singer's long-awaited return to the stage on Saturday. This is being celebrated with a...
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Former Vuitton executives on trial for VAT fraud at Champs-Élysées store
A lavish Chinese client, who spent millions of euros on luxury goods at the Louis Vuitton store on the Champs-Élysées, allegedly received improper tax refunds. Five people, including former company executives, have been on trial since Monday at the Paris Criminal Court for organised fraud. The court accuses the defendants of processing VAT...
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Pierre Cardin museum brings designer's futurist style to Venice
Hundreds of style-setting creations from the late designer Pierre Cardin will fill his Venice palazzo later this month in a new museum celebrating the cutting-edge vision of fashion's futurist. A costume ball Thursday evening at Cardin's Venetian home of nearly 40 years, the Palazzo Bragadin, will help kick off the museum opening, scheduled for...
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China urges France to 'halt' fast-fashion law, warns of countermeasures
Beijing urged France on Thursday to abandon its recently implemented law on ultra-fast fashion, lambasting the new measure targeting major Asian e-commerce platforms including Shein and Temu as "clearly discriminatory". The law, which came into effect on Tuesday, imposes fees on certain items that will eventually reach almost 20 euros per...
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France takes aim at ultra-fast fashion with new levy
France will from Tuesday impose a fee on ultra-fast fashion items that will eventually reach almost 20 euros per garment, as the government targets major Asian e-commerce platforms including Shein. The levy follows legislation passed by the French parliament in June to regulate so-called "ultra-fast fashion" companies, known for selling large...
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Decathlon wants to acquire 50 percent of Sport 2000 France
Paris - Decathlon wants to acquire 50 percent of Sport 2000 France, the two rival companies announced on Monday. This merger could shake up the sporting goods market, which was already disrupted by Intersport's acquisition of dozens of Go Sport stores in 2023. As the French market leader, Decathlon has signed a letter of intent with Céraclès...
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Shein to make market debut in Hong Kong in September
Hong Kong - Shein will debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange on September 1, the fast-fashion retailer said on Monday, in a long-awaited listing that would value the group at close to US$27 billion. The online retailer plans to offer 280 million shares at a price between HK$47.60 and HK$49.50, raising up to HK$13.86 billion (US$1.7 billion), it...
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Shein: heavily criticised, yet millions of customers remain
Paris - Having become the symbol of ultra-fast fashion in recent years, Shein is preparing for its stock market debut in Hong Kong in September. The company has found itself targeted by multiple European and French initiatives aimed at regulating its operations. Investigations, sanctions and controversies have not, however, prevented the Asian...
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