Temu vows to improve services amid European consumer complaints
Chinese platform Temu assured that it is working on improving services and intends to correct deficiencies. The statement is a reaction to complaints from European consumer organizations. Temu has been accused, among other things, of dealing in counterfeits and products without certifications.
5:48 PM EDT, May 17, 2024
Consumer organizations also accuse Temu of using unfair business practices to mislead consumers, such as posting false 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 possibility of violating the Digital Services Act (DSA) by the platform. 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, which includes national organizations.
On Friday, the Temu platform published an official comment, assuring that it takes BEUC's complaint very seriously and announced that it is eager to improve services for consumers and correct deficiencies. It added that it is a "newcomer in Europe," having started operations in these markets just 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 stated.
Temu responds to complaints
The company also added that it has already taken the first steps in this direction, including reaching an agreement with the German consumer organization VZBV last week to cease "certain activities that have raised concerns" and commit to addressing them. - Many of them are covered by the BEUC complaint - it was noted in the statement.
The company added that on Monday, it 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.
