Source: AFP
European consumer groups accused Chinese shopping app Temu on Thursday of using “manipulative techniques” to get users to spend more and other breaches of a landmark EU technology law.
One of the fastest-growing apps, Temu only entered the EU market in April 2023 and says it averages around 75 million monthly active users in the 27-country bloc.
The European consumer rights umbrella group BEUC has lodged a complaint with the European Commission, while 17 member organizations in Europe, including France, Germany and Spain, have followed suit with national authorities.
The groups accuse Temu of “failing to protect consumers and using manipulative practices that are illegal,” known as dark patterns, and have called for an investigation.
They believe Temu distorts or reduces consumers’ ability to make “free and informed decisions” when shopping online, breaching the EU’s mammoth online content law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA).
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According to the DSA, all digital platforms must quickly remove illegal content, be more transparent about how they use user data and ensure the safety of online shoppers.
The platform fails to provide enough information about merchants on Temu, “often leaving consumers in the dark about who they are buying products from,” BEUC said.
And there is not enough information about how the “opaque” referral system works, he added, which is mandated under the DSA.
Temu, owned by China’s PDD Holdings, has already come under pressure in Europe.
German consumer groups warned Temu earlier this year about similar issues, leading the platform to announce that it would no longer display notifications telling consumers to “Hurry! Over 126 people have this item in their shopping cart.”
It has faced tough scrutiny elsewhere, including in Asia and the United States.
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![](https://images.yen.com.gh/images/0a5db40a0793efed.jpg?impolicy=cropped-image&imwidth=256)
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South Korean regulators in April began investigating Temu on suspicion of false advertising and unfair practices.
The EU is expected to add Temu to the list of “very large” digital platforms under the DSA, which will force the company to comply with stricter rules, including providing regular risk mitigation information.
Brussels has already added Chinese-founded online retailer Shein to that list, which also includes AliExpress, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube among a total of 23 platforms.
Source: AFP